The Los Angeles Lakers are basketball royalty. Whether you love them or hate them, the fact that the Lakers are one of the most iconic franchises in basketball is undeniable. Since the Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar era, the Lakers have consistently had the biggest names in basketball playing for them, and loads of championships left in the wake of those players.
Kobe Bryant was one of those players, and he inspired a lot of NBA players today. While it’s not surprising that American-born players like Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum idolized Kobe and even met him while coming up the ranks of youth basketball, Joel Embiid was living in Cameroon and unfamiliar with the sport.
In an interview with Forbes, Embiid revealed that the first basketball game he watched featured Kobe and the Lakers against the Celtics in the Finals in 2010. Watching Kobe win made him fall in love with the game and become a Lakers fan.
“First game I watched was the Finals, Boston against the Lakers. Just watching Kobe, that’s how the Lakers became my favorite team and that’s how I fell in love with basketball, watching Kobe.
Joel Embiid is now the face of the Philadelphia 76ers, ironically, Kobe’s hometown in the United States. Hopefully, he can channel his ‘Mamba Mentality’ and bring a championship to the city.
Can Joel Embiid Win A Championship This Season?
While Embiid may feel like there are fans rooting against him and wanting him to be traded, the sentiment from most 76ers fans is different. Embiid is the first true superstar they have had since Allen Iverson, and he’s consistently put effort into becoming one of the best players in the world.
Embiid has looked incredible this season, having historic games while helping the 76ers turn their season around after a slow start. With James Harden playing some very good basketball, the 16-12 76ers will hope there’s enough time in the season for them to bring themselves up to the level of Eastern leaders like the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks.
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