Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, currently of the San Antonio Spurs, both recalled what pioneering coach Tex Winter preached about hustle.

In a tweet, Gasol shared his encounter with Winter, particularly during in his year wearing the purple and gold.

Bryant, his good friend and teammate, replied to him and added more wise words from Winter.

Winter passed away on Wednesday in Manhattan. He's known as the creator of the “triangle offense,” the system most effectively utilized by Phil Jackson during his title runs with the Chicago Bulls and the Lakers. He served as an assistant coach to Jackson during the Bulls and Lakers' dynasty in the 90's and early 2000's, respectively. Come the 2008-09 season, where the Lakers also won a title, Winter served as a consultant to the team.

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Yet prior to his career in the NBA, Winter gained notoriety in the college ranks as the coach of Kansas State — a team he led to multiple National Championships. This is where he developed the dreaded triangle offense.

Bryant and Gasol are just among the many players who expressed their high regard for Winter. Michael Jordan, too, noted Winter's extreme attention to the smallest details. Winter also highlighted the importance of preparing well for each game.

Check out the throwback clip below to see a young Winter explaining the basics of the triangle offense: