LeBron James Gets Kobe Bryant Black Mamba Tattoo
LeBron James got a Kobe Bryant Black Mamba tattoo before Friday’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers.
Friday evening will mark the first time the Lakers take the court since the tragic passing of Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash.
The team was supposed to play the Clippers earlier this week, but the game was cancelled to give everyone ample time to grieve.
A few days ago, rumors emerged that James was paying special tribute to Bryant with a tattoo.
Those rumors were confirmed on Friday morning, when he showcased the tattoo on Instagram.
James memorialized the fallen Lakers legend with a Black Mamba snake, the numbers eight and twenty four, and then a rose.
The message underneath reads “Mamba 4 Life.”
Although James and Bryant were often pitted as rivals and adversaries due to playing for opposing franchises over the course of their careers, the pair got close when James joined the Lakers.
Bryant’s death reportedly hit James particularly hard.
James has pledged to dedicate the rest of this NBA season to Bryant’s memory.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
