LeBron James built a solid relationship with Kobe Bryant well before The King joined the Los Angeles Lakers. However, the future Hall of Famer finally reveals the exact moment Black Mamba informed him he was built for the NBA.

The Lakers star was seemingly reminiscing about the good ol’ days on social media when he shared a post featuring Kobe Bryant. LeBron James claims the Lakers legend helped him off the floor and that it was a clear sign that Bryant gave James the utmost respect.

“LeBron James looks back on the first time he faced Kobe Bryant. LeBron went for 16 points, 5 rebounds, & 7 assists on 6-of-20 shooting. Kobe Bryant finished with 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting in the Lakers’ 89-79 win over the Cavs.”

It’s always amazing to see old pictures and videos of players in the NBA. LeBron James has become such an amazing player and has over achieved much of the hype that was around him when he first entered the NBA.

Meanwhile, it was rather rare to see Kobe Bryant give credit to younger players. Black Mamba was one of the most intimidating players on and off the court during his tenure. So, the fact he liked what he saw from LeBron James is kind of telling that Bryant had a feeling about the superstar small forward.

So far this season, James is as good as ever. He’s averaging 25.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. It’s absolutely insane that he’s continuing to play at such a high level at 38 years old. There is no telling how much longer he’ll play in the NBA. So, we should just appreciate greatness while it’s here.