Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James posted a touching video of him singing “Happy Birthday” to the late Kobe Bryant back in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics.

Bryant would have been 42 years old on Sunday.

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LeBron James, like so many others around the league, shared a special connection with Kobe Bryant.

The two stars were torch-bearers for their separate generations. As Bryant's prime began to wind down in the 2000s, James was just beginning to embrace his status as the best player in the game.

Unfortunately, the two superstars never met in the NBA Finals. But Bryant's commitment to excellence left an indelible mark on James, who has since become one of the best ambassadors in the league.

Kobe's death also hit James particularly hard because of the events that had transpired shortly before that tragic day in January.

Bryant was in attendance when LeBron passed him on the all-time scoring list, and the two shared a warm embrace immediately afterwards. Just about 12 hours later, Bryant — as well as his daughter, Gianna, and seven others — died in a tragic helicopter crash outside of Calabasas.

James honored Bryant with a pregame speech that brought the house down when the Lakers took the floor for the first time following Kobe's death:

James and the Lakers have also begun their playoff journey with Bryant in mind.

The Lakers watched a “Memba Mentality” video prior to the start of their first-round matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, and James has been determined to bring a championship banner back to L.A.

LeBron hopes to honor Kobe Bryant's legacy with a title, and he has Kobe in mind on this Sunday.

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