The passing of Kobe Bryant rocked the sports world to its core last year. Although the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s friends and fans are slowly coming to terms with the loss, the wound is still extremely fresh.
This week ESPN’s Jackie MacMullen spoke with Michael Jordan, who will be presenting Bryant during his Hall of Fame induction.
During the chat, Jordan revealed his final text message exchange with Bryant.
“This tequila is awesome,” Bryant wrote, in reference to Jordan’s Cincoro Tequila.
Jordan made sure to send a bottle to Bryant at the launch.
“Thank you, my brother,” Jordan replied.
“Yes, sir. Family good?” Bryant replied.
“All good. Yours?” Jordan wrote back.
“All good,” Bryant responded.
“Happy holidays and hope to catch up soon. Coach Kobe??!” Jordan wrote, in reference to all the coaching work Bryant had been doing with his daughter, Gigi.
“I added that little crying/laughing emoji,” Jordan mentioned with a laugh.
That’s one way to do it. https://t.co/FPdnapbQPX
— Game 7 (@game7__) May 10, 2021
“Ah, back at you, man,” Bryant wrote. “Hey, coach, I’m sitting on the bench right now, and we’re blowing this team out. 45-8.”
Over the past few weeks a number of fascinating stories about Bryant have bubbled to the surface. Everything from him describing the hardest player in the NBA for him to figure out, to anecdotes about him from the 2008 Olympics, to his one-of-a kind quote about missing shots.
Bryant was one of the greatest minds in basketball history, so any time he weighed in on anything hoops-related, it was special. His general knowledge and the fanhood he inspired is one of the reasons why some took it so personally when someone tried to insult him in the streets of LA, and it’s also the reason why all-time greats like Jordan remember him so fondly.
Related: Are NBA Refs Conspiring Against Nikola Jokic?
Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
