Since the passing of former NBA star Kobe Bryant, fans across the world have taken to celebrating Aug. 24 as ‘Kobe Day’ due to 8/24, the jersey numbers Bryant wore during his career. But maybe there’s a little magic in the air that day, at least according to Bryant’s old Los Angeles Lakers teammate Metta World Peace.

World Peace celebrated the birth of his fifth child on Thursday named Hiro, and he credited his old teammate with lending an assist from up above on 8/24 to help ensure a safe and healthy birth for his child.

In the first of a pair of social media posts, World Peace proclaimed Bryant as the GOAT in providing a little divine intervention in helping the birth of his child. In the second post, World Peace revealed that he wore a Kobe Bryant jersey, #8 to be exact, to his child’s birth in order to pay tribute and respect to his old friend.

World Peace also noted that his child was born exactly five days after Aug. 24, the same number of championship rings that Bryant won. Perhaps Bryant is indeed looking out for his old teammate.

Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace helped Lakers to 2010 title

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After a heated playoff series between the Lakers and the Houston Rockets in 2009 that went seven games, it came as a major surprise when Metta World Peace signed with the Lakers as a free agent that offseason.

World Peace played the role of antagonist during that series as the Rockets, extremely short-handed due to the injuries to Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Dikembe Mutombo, went toe to toe with the Lakers. The Lakers would ultimately win that series and go on to win the 2009 NBA title.

The Lakers signed World Peace with the slot previously occupied by Trevor Ariza who coincidently, swapped places with World Peace when he signed with the Rockets. World Peace was a key player during the Lakers 2010 title run, especially in Game 7 of the Finals against the Boston Celtics, hence the reference to ‘Mr. Game 7’ in the social media post.

World Peace finished Game 7 with 20 points including a late game three-point shot, off an assist from Bryant, to help seal the championship.

World Peace ended up leaving the Lakers in 2013 when the organization waived him via the amnesty clause. He would return to the Lakers however, in 2015 once again teaming up with Bryant. He and Bryant would be teammates for two more seasons before Bryant’s retirement in 2016.