PHILADELPHIA — LeBron James sat at his locker Saturday night, recalling to reporters the day he first ran across Kobe Bryant nearly two decades ago.
Neither were aware their careers would be inextricably linked through near misses, shared experiences and never-ending comparisons to a bald-headed GOAT.
James was in high school, driving up to Philadelphia with close friend Maverick Carter for All-Star Weekend in 2002. Bryant, then an Adidas pitchman, gave the high school junior some red, white and blue Kobe’s, which James later wore in a nationally televised game.
Bryant won All-Star MVP in front of his hometown crowd that year, actually getting booed by a fan base still stinging from a Finals loss to the Lakers the year before.