Although Barclays Center has played host to its share of notable names this season, Kobe Bryant attending Brooklyn’s game against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday was a bit of a surprise.
The Los Angeles Lakers legend sat courtside a few feet from the Nets bench. He’s worked with Kyrie Irving in the past, but his daughter, who was also at the game, is also a big fan of Hawks guard Trae Young.
For Spencer Dinwiddie, all that mattered was Bryant was at the game. Given the guard was born in 1993 and grew up in Los Angeles, it’s not hard to guess who Dinwiddie’s favorite athlete was as a kid.
Though Dinwiddie made sure reporters knew just how special Bryant was to him after Saturday’s win, per Greg Joyce of the New York Post:
His career was basically my childhood. I was juiced. It’s probably why I missed the first three off the backboard, I ain’t going to lie to y’all.
Not only was Bryant at the game, Dinwiddie also talked to him pregame, which only added to his excitement. Furthermore, the soon-to-be Hall of Famer also gave the Nets point guard a high compliment, per Brian Heyman of Newsday:
He was like, ‘You’re playing like an All-Star.’ I’m like, ‘Man, I’m trying.’ I was like, ‘Thank you.’ Obviously, for me, that was big time. I don’t know him personally, but I guess kind of now I do.
Dinwiddie then joked, “We’re best friends.”