- Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade had a lasting friendship
- Wade received lavish praise from Bryant once
- Wade was inducted into the 2023 NBA Hall of Fame
Dwyane Wade is the flavor of the weekend and the former Miami Heat star. And perhaps one of the biggest personalities not to see him inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame was the late Kobe Bryant.
Back in Bryant’s final season, the Black Mamba had some lavish praise (a rarity, by the way) for Wade, who was inching toward the later stages of his career. During a press conference in which the guard pulled up to take Bryant out for dinner, the Los Angeles Lakers legend gave a quick shout-out.
“I love him. He was a vicious competitor. He’s vicious, he’s mean. We could have those types of battles, then afterward hang out, have a conversation, lace ’em up, and go right back at it. I enjoyed competing against him. The hardest player I had to guard in screen and roll. He’d come off a screen and disappear.”
Awesome moment: Kobe's final season. Wade interrupts his presser after a Heat-Lakers game. "We gotta go" 😂 They had dinner plans, start joking. Then Kobe praises Wade's competitive 🔥:
"I love him. He was a vicious competitor. He's vicious, he's mean. We could have those type… pic.twitter.com/8iTESuIxMw
— Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) August 12, 2023
Bryant and Wade have played against each other in the NBA, and suited up for Team USA on a national level. So it’s understandable that the Lakers legend knew what exactly Wade brought to the table.
It’s unfortunate that he wasn’t there to witness Wade’s enshrinement into the NBA Hall of Fame, but wherever he is, he would be pleased as punch.
Dwyane Wade Accidentally Broke Kobe Bryant’s Nose During The 2012 All-Star Game
Fans will surely remember the time Wade accidentally broke Bryant’s nose during the 2012 All-Star Game.
That, though, didn’t perturb the Mamba as he went about his business and even had an epic response to Wade when the latter went to apologize.
“Me and Kob’ got into a little tussle in the All-Star Game, and I ended up hitting him the wrong way and breaking his nose. … So after the All-Star break, we got the Lakers about three games after the break … I call him, not maliciously. I didn’t maliciously do it. I called him and said, ‘Yo Kob” and he was like, ‘Bro, I love it.’ I’m like [taken aback.] He’s like, ‘I love it. I’ll see you in a couple of days.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh snap.’ And he gave it to me, too, boy.”
This shows why Bryant respected Wade as a teammate and a competitor. The Lakers star was relentless himself, and he saw the same dog in Wade, who was an absolute force on the floor.
That’s one of those game knows game moments in the NBA, and it will surely stay in our minds for a long time.
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