The Los Angeles Lakers received their championship rings before their 2020-2021 NBA season opener against the LA Clippers on Tuesday night. It was an emotional moment after a particularly heavy 2019-2020 season that included grappling with the tragic death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
The Lakers’ rings paid tribute to Bryant by including a Mamba snake behind the player number and a removable top featuring his retired jerseys.
“Just a weird day celebrating an historic moment with our franchise and an historic run with what we did last year and then having to do it without our family and friends and our fans,” LeBron James said.
James also posted a touching Photoshop on his Instagram Wednesday, showing a picture of him getting is Laker ring with Kobe looking on, bathed in beatific light.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJJmT9rAERk/
“What I felt last night when I grabbed that ring from the case. Love and miss you my brother!!!!.” James wrote.
The Lakers will always be tied to Kobe, and it’s clear James and the rest of the franchise plan to honor that legacy.