Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant was no doubt a global icon. However, according to former NBA superstar and longtime front office executive Jerry West, Bryant came very close to becoming even more of a Los Angeles legend back in 2007.

While delivering an emotional tribute to the late Bryant — who was tragically killed in a helicopter accident over the weekend — West revealed quite the tidbit. According to The Logo, Bryant was seriously considering signing with the Lakers' arch-rivals Los Angeles Clippers in 2007.

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Of course, West was responsible for bringing Bryant to the Lakers in the first place. After the Charlotte Hornets originally selected the high school standout with the No. 13 overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, Bryant was then traded across the country to the Purple and Gold franchise en route to becoming one of the best players in NBA history.

“I didn’t know whether to believe it or not,” Jerry West told The Athletic upon learning of Bryant's death. “I was saying to myself, ‘Oh my God, this can’t be true. This can’t be true.’ And then all of a sudden, it was just shocking when I found out. I’m completely at a loss for words. I’m trying to, I guess, get a grip around the fact that he’s gone.”

Kobe Bryant, who was 41 years old at the time of his death, notably went on to spend his entire NBA playing career as a member of the heralded Lakers, a tenure that spanned 20 seasons.