LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are making their way to the NBA Finals after defeating the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday. LeBron showcased an outstanding performance by scoring 38 points, seizing 16 rebounds, and assisting with 10 plays in the game-changing win.
LeBron is heading to his 10th Finals appearance, marking the franchise’s first final since Kobe Bryant’s fifth championship victory in 2010. The former Lakers icon, along with his daughter Gianna, tragically lost their lives in a helicopter accident in Calabasas, California in late January.
After Game 5, in an interview with Yahoo! Sports, LeBron opened up about Kobe and shared the text message he received from him when he signed with the Lakers in 2018.
“Of course, you think there’s going to be time for us to get together and I understand that there are regrets in life, but I definitely wish I had that moment with him,” James told Yahoo Sports. “I do remember when I decided to come here, he sent me a text right away and said, ‘Welcome, brother. Welcome to the family.’ That was a special moment because at the time, Laker faithful wasn’t [fully in on me]. A lot of people were saying, ‘Well, we might not want LeBron at this point in his career,’ and, ‘Is he right? Is he going to get us back [to the Finals]?’ So to hear from him and get his stamp of approval, it meant a lot. I don’t ever question myself, but when it’s coming from Kobe, it definitely meant a lot.”
The team aims to secure the championship and honor Kobe’s legacy.
