As he moved from one station to the next, I approached and asked if he was paying attention to the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Bryant, who will be eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this fall, tilted his head. “What’s going on with it?” he asked. Unsure if Bryant was truly out of the loop, or if he was simply being coy, I explained the numbers and that James was on the verge of taking his place in history. “Oh, sweet!” Bryant said, his face brightening.