Back in the day, the ABCD camp used to be one of the most prestigious camps for high school basketball players to attend. During one of the camp sessions was where current Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James crossed paths with former Lakers star, the late Kobe Bryant. The Lakers recently unveiled their statue honoring Bryant. During a segment on Spectrum Sports, James recalled listening to Bryant speak at the camp and soaking in as much as he could from the Lakers star.
LeBron James took to social media to reveal that he didn't say a word when he encountered Kobe Bryant at the camp. He just sat there and listened to his every word. It must have been a huge moment for James and the rest of the camp invitees as by that time, Bryant had already won championships with the Lakers and was arguably the best player in the world.
The Lakers franchise has had many great players and Hall of Famers suit up for the organization and James is only the latest. Bryant retired from the NBA in 2016. James signed with the Lakers as a free agent during the 2018 offseason.
Like Bryant and the great players who came before him, James helped bring a championship to the team in 2020. During their careers, James and Bryant were often seen as rivals when James was playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Many fans had hoped to see a Lakers vs. Cavs finals series but it never came to fruition. The Cavs made it to the Finals in 2007 and the Lakers made it in 2008, 2009 and 2010.