Lakers fans will have to wait until the second round of the postseason to witness the Los Angeles Lakers' latest tribute to the late Kobe Bryant.
Per LA Times' Brad Turner, the Purple and Gold will don a special Black Mamba jersey if they manage to get past the Portland Trail Blazers in their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series.
Sources: If Lakers advance past 1st round of playoffs over Portland, they plan to wear the Black Mamba jersey in honor of Kobe Bryant in following rounds. Jersey features a snakeskin print on the outside. Bryant, daughter Gianna and 7 others died in a helicopter crash in January.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) August 17, 2020
The black-colored uniforms with gold trims will feature a snakeskin design — which of course, identifies with Kobe Bryant's alter ego “The Black Mamba”. The jersey will also feature a patch with Bryant's initials.
The legendary Lakers guard, along with daughter Gianna and seven others, passed away last January after figuring in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
The black jerseys are also quite similar to the Lakers' Hollywood Nights uniform, which Bryant managed to don during his 20-year playing career.
Article Continues BelowFans, meanwhile, were quick to point out why the Lakers plan to wait until the West semis to bring out the tribute jerseys.
The Lakers brass has yet to address the matter, but it's likely due to the fact that the Blazers predominantly wear black jerseys.
Kobe Bryant's untimely passing, on the other hand, continues to haunt diehard fans across the world to this day. The five-time NBA champion bared his heart and soul for the LA-based franchise and its only fitting that the team continues to honor his memory.
While all their gestures have truly been heartwarming, the best tribute the Lakers can give for Kobe is to win the Larry O'Brien trophy this year. The Lakers have been the frontrunner to win-it-all since the beginning of the season, racing to the best record in the West at 52-19.
They struggled so far inside the bubble if Orlando, Florida and must get their act together to avoid an upset against the Blazers. Hopefully, the Mamba-inspired jerseys will inspire them and give them a much-needed boost in the postseason.