Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the Indiana Pacers last night and lost, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has watched the Lakers this year. However, Kobe Bryant was in a giving mood after the game, and dropped by the Pacers’ locker room to gift an autographed pair of Nike Kobe 11s to Pacers star wing Paul George.
Kobe must not have seen George’s post-game interview, in which George rationalized his ability to beat Kobe to the rack multiple times during the game by saying “well, he is old.”
Paul George thanked Kobe in an Instagram post after the game, writing "Thanks for everything! From a far, YOU put that ball in my hand as a youngin! #Legend." It’s easy to forget these NBA players grew up idolizing the same players we did, and they can still get starstruck even once they’ve made it to the top. Even Paul George had to use Kobe’s age rather than his own skill to explain how he could beat the Black Mamba.
The shoes Kobe gave were his Kobe 11 All-Star Game special edition kicks that go on sale this weekend (autograph not included).