It's no secret how much Kobe Bryant meant to so many people from all over the world. Most players in the NBA today looked up to the Los Angeles Lakers legend growing up, and that includes Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry.
Curry took the time during his sideline interview on Saturday's Warriors-Lakers match-up to share what Bryant meant to him and how the five-time champion inspired him to play in the NBA.
"Watching him play inspired me. It was a dream come true to get to the league and play against him."
—Steph Curry on what Kobe Bryant meant to him pic.twitter.com/f0TvIyYE9d
— ESPN (@espn) February 9, 2020
It has been two weeks since Bryant tragically passed away in a helicopter crash that also took the lives of eight others, including Kobe's 13-year old daughter Gigi. Yet, the world is still grieving over the loss of one of basketball's all-time greats.
The Warriors gave an emotional video tribute to the Lakers legend in their first game against the Purple and Gold since the tragedy. Likewise, they also gave away tribute shirts to the entire Chase Center crowd in honor of Kobe and Gigi.
The @Warriors made a video tribute to honor Kobe Bryant 💜💛pic.twitter.com/ATQdxZ4qbf
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 9, 2020
Curry and Bryant did cross paths in the NBA, from Curry's arrival to the league in 2009 all the way up to Bryant's retirement in 2016. Though the two never really had a meaningful playoff match-up, both have shown massive respect towards one another.
Perhaps their most famous interaction with each other happened in a Lakers-Warriors preseason game in 2014, just prior to Curry's ascension to superstardom.
Midway through the third quarter of the said game, Bryant — in the tail end of his career at the time — took the challenge of guarding the rising star full court. Curry didn't back down, gave nice little nudge to Bryant, and drained a long 3-pointer right in his face.
All Kobe Bryant could do was smile and give respect to Stephen Curry.
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