Kobe Bryant was in a great mood as the Lakers assembled in El Segundo for their 2009 media day.
And for good reason. The Lakers had just won their 15th NBA title a few months earlier and were favored to win No. 16 at the conclusion of the upcoming season (spoiler alert: they did).
The Times’ article covering that preseason kickoff event described Bryant as “beaming” as he posed for photos and filmed various promotional videos, including one intended for use at Dodger Stadium.
At one point, Bryant stood with a baseball bat ready to take a swing.