LeBron James is part of the Los Angeles Lakers right now, trying to take the Purple and Gold to the glory once again. Before the NBA entered a hiatus last month, James was leading his team to become the best in the league, earning huge wins over their most dangerous rivals and playing great basketball.
Bron landed in Los Angeles in 2018 after returning to Cleveland and giving the Cavaliers their first-ever NBA championship. However, if it was for the late Kobe Bryant, LeBron would have gone to the Lakers long before he actually did. Back in 2012, when both players were shared touches in Team USA that won the Olympics that year, Bryant was asked about what player he’d pick to play alongside him.
“LeBron James,” Kobe said during a phone interview. “I’d pick LeBron, no question. He’s a pass-first guy and I’m a gunner.”
Kobe was asked in 2012 if he had to draft a team who would he pick #1 to play alongside him: “LeBron, no question”
“He’s a pass first guy & i’m a gunner”
👑 x 🐍 pic.twitter.com/GPyZkBzUXg
— BettingToolsUS (@BettingToolsUS) April 17, 2020
James won his first NBA title that year with the Miami Heat, beating a young Oklahoma City Thunder team that showed flashes of what they could’ve done if they stayed together. Meanwhile, Bryant was entering the final years of his career, but there is no doubt that everybody would’ve been excited to see these two playing together in L.A.
People always tend to wonder what would have happened if we got to see a Finals with LeBron going against Kobe, but what would have happened if we saw James and Bryant playing together, trying to take the Lakers to the promised land. We’ll never know, but we can imagine.
Kobe and Bron had a great relationship off the court. Bryant even congratulated James when he surpassed him on the all-time scoring list, which later became the last tweet Kobe sent before passing away in a tragic helicopter crash.
