December 18 will be a very momentous day for Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, as it will mark the celebration for his jersey retirement. Being one of the best to ever play the game, there is no doubt that the five-time champion deserves the honor, and a lot of former and current NBA players have already congratulated him for it.

The current squad all gave their congratulatory messages to him, including Lonzo Ball, appearing in a short clip. He talked about the hard work that Bryant put in throughout his career, and that seeing his jersey at the rafters of Staple Center will keep his legacy going forever.

Article Continues Below

Bryant played 20 seasons in the league, all of which were with the Lakers. He made a name for himself as a fierce competitor, and won almost all awards the NBA has to offer, including the MVP Award, was named an All-Star 18 times, and All-NBA Team member 15 times in his illustrious career. He decided to hang his sneakers for good after the 2015-16 season, and even left his fans with an epic 60-point performance in his final game to remember him with.

The Black Mamba’s jersey will rightfully be placed beside the other Lakers greats like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jerry West, among others. The ceremony will take place on Monday, during halftime of the Lakers and Golden State Warriors matchup.