‘F*cking Awesome’: Kobe Bryant Watches LeBron James and the Lakers

Kobe Bryant sat courtside Thursday night at Staples Center, catching his first glimpse of LeBron James in the Purple and Gold.

James responded by notching his first triple-double as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, and Bryant said he was thrilled with the performance.

LeBron finished with a 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, leading the Lakers to a 121-114 comeback win against the visiting Denver Nuggets.

Per the LA Times:

“It’s my first home win as a Laker, my first triple-double as a Laker,” James said. “… Any time you’re able to do good things individually that results in wins, that’s what’s important to me. When it results in a win.”

James slammed the ball through the net and ran past it shouting, mere feet away from where Bryant sat. He appeared to look down to Bryant’s seat in the process. After the game, James was asked whether he noticed Bryant in the arena.

“Of course,” James said. “Noticed him sitting right there on the baseline over there, one of the all-time Laker greats. What he’s done for this franchise in the 20-plus years he was here speaks wonders.

“For me to be able to compete against him all those years. For me to be able to share a jersey, the same jersey as him at this point, I think it’s pretty special.”

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