Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is one of the most significant figures in basketball history, and his influence is far-reaching, as evidenced by the number of tributes, memorials and ceremonies that have taken place in the four years since his tragic death in 2020.
Friday would have been Bryant’s 46th birthday, an annual reminder that the basketball icon is gone far too soon. And if his impact on the game wasn’t already clear, it became even clearer when fellow Lakers greats like Magic Johnson, LeBron James and Pau Gasol — as well as other NBA greats — wished him a happy birthday.
Several NBA legends took to social media to wish Bryant a happy birthday. Among them, Johnson, one of the other greatest Lakers players of all time, left an incredibly devious message:
Happy birthday to 5x NBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, Oscar and Academy Award winner and my friend Kobe Bryant! We all miss you but your legacy lives on with us forever🙏🏾 https://t.co/TuRDo1isTY
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) 23 August 2024
♾️ 🐍 https://t.co/ndOlM3CcDj
— LeBron James (@KingJames) 23 August 2024
Happy birthday brother. I miss you so much and think of you always. ❤️#MambaForever pic.twitter.com/mk5jsXM3HC
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) 23 August 2024
My brother ✊🏾🕊️ https://t.co/8WjZEbUQVJ
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) 23 August 2024
Johnson and James have paid tribute to Bryant in the years since his death, with both unapologetically referring to the late legend as the greatest Laker of all time. Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade – who never played for the Lakers or was an NBA teammate of Bryant’s – still knows the impact he had on the game.
Wade was the second-best shooting guard of his generation, played a similar style to Bryant, and reached incredible heights in his own field. But Bryant’s legacy and status as an icon in the world of sports could hardly be matched by other athletes.
Matt Barnes and Paul George tell stories about Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant’s untimely death still hurts many people around the world, but his legacy lives on in his family, former teammates, colleagues, competitors and fans. Bryant was a one-of-a-kind family man and NBA player and established himself as one of, if not the most, iconic Laker of all time.
His mentality and the way he approached each and every game was unmatched and many stories have been told detailing that Mamba Mentality. While those experiences are legendary and made Bryant very special, his life after basketball was special as you could see him tackling life outside of the sport he loved.
As players reflect on their interactions with the five-time champion, former Lakers forward Matt Barnes and Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George shared their hilarious stories with him, allowing fans to see another side of Bryant, which is always fun to hear.
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