On January 25, 2020, LeBron James etched his name into NBA history by passing Kobe Bryant for third place on the league’s all-time scoring list. The milestone came during the Los Angeles Lakers’ road game against the Philadelphia 76ers, in Kobe’s hometown. It was the kind of historic night that seemed destined for celebration and reflection, with LeBron honoring Kobe in his postgame remarks. What few knew at the time was that the two legends also shared a private moment of connection, one that would become tragically poignant just hours later.
Former Laker Quinn Cook recently told Scoop B Robinson about hearing Kobe congratulate LeBron the morning after the game, just before Kobe’s untimely passing. Cook recalled being on the team bus in Philadelphia with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Jared Dudley.
“Well, he talked to him briefly in the locker room so guys could hear him. I don’t know their conversation after, but cool story for me. I mean, not a cool story, but something where you’re just being a fly on the wall. I’ll never forget it.”
“Myself, LeBron, AD, and Jared Dudley, us four, we did everything. We had a bus, we played that night, and had an early bus obviously, flying from Philly to LA. Me and LeBron were always the first two on the bus, us two and Dudley, because AD was always the last one. We always made fun of him.”
“So me and Bron get on the bus early, and I don’t know if Bron’s ever told the story, but Bron was talking to Kobe that morning, and I heard Kobe’s voice. They were talking before the game that night, before there were cameras around, so they couldn’t get as personal as they wanted.”
“People could’ve been live, so they kept it light. But they were on the phone for maybe three to four minutes that morning coming back from Philly. I heard Kobe’s voice, and they were talking, and Kobe was just so happy for him. Then obviously we go to the plane, we all pass out, and we were woken up to the news.”
According to Cook, Kobe was thrilled for LeBron, expressing genuine joy about him surpassing his scoring mark. It was a private moment of respect and admiration, one legend passing the torch to another. For LeBron, who has always credited Kobe as both an inspiration and a competitor, the exchange was meaningful.
Tragically, just hours later, news broke that Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others had died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Cook recalled the surreal sequence of events: the Lakers, still groggy from their flight back from Philadelphia, were woken up to the devastating news. What had been a celebratory weekend suddenly turned into one of the darkest days in sports history.
The timing added another layer of heartbreak. Just the night before, Kobe Bryant had been immortalized in the record books through LeBron’s achievement, and he had personally congratulated him with warmth and pride.
His final public tweet, in fact, was directed at LeBron: “Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother #33644.”
For the Lakers, for LeBron, and for the basketball world, the coincidence of those two days remains chilling. Kobe’s last public gesture was to uplift the man who passed him on the scoring list, a gesture that reflected his competitive spirit and his willingness to embrace the future of the game.
Quinn Cook’s memory of hearing Kobe’s voice on that morning call provides one more layer to the story, a reminder that even in his final hours, Kobe Bryant’s love for the game and respect for his peers never wavered. It was a fleeting, human moment, shared quietly before tragedy struck, that will never be forgotten.
