As we approach game time for Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant's jersey retirement night, senior writer Arash Markazi posted a spoiler of what gifts all the fans in attendance will get to take home with them.
What is inside the bags, you may ask? The Lakers also posted to their official team Twitter account on Monday night: two replica Kobe jerseys, both No. 8 and No. 24 that will be retired to the rafters of Staples Center.
When asked by Lakers sideline reporter Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet on what it will be like for Bryant to have two of his jerseys up in the rafters, the five-time NBA champion couldn't help but be a little bit starstruck.
“Those were muses to me growing up as a kid. To have my jersey up there with them is a dream come true. My goodness, that’s insane,” Bryant said.
The Lakers will have a packed arena when they host the Golden State Warriors tonight, as many fans and celebrities will be in attendance at the legendary shooting guard's jersey retirement.
“I’m expecting a lot of energy. I myself am going to be really excited to see a lot of people I haven’t seen in a long time. I’m also really excited to share “Dear Basketball” with them. Something that’s really personal, this whole journey, the beginning of the journey as a Laker all the way to the culmination of having my jersey retired as a Laker,” Bryant said.
After 20 years spent with the Lakers and what he brought to the city of Los Angeles, he fully deserves to be the man of the hour tonight.