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LeBron James Honors Kobe Bryant on Birthday; Recalls Leading Redeem Team Tribute for Black Mamba's 30th
LeBron James shared a heartfelt tribute to Kobe Bryant on what would have been the basketball legend's 46th birthday.
Gone, but forever in our hearts. "HBD Black Mamba," LeBron James penned on his Instagram story, marking what would have been Kobe Bryant's 46th birthday had he still been with us. After all, the two greats, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, did share a special bond.
James' story also shared a touching memory of when the 'Redeem Team' came together to serenade the legend with 'Happy Birthday' during his 30th celebration.
Back then, the U.S. ‘Redeem Team’ was in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics, having just dominated Argentina with a 20-point victory the day before Kobe's big day. In a video from that night, LeBron James led the team in singing Happy Birthday to Bryant.
With a beaming smile, James gathered his teammates and their families to join in, all while watching Kobe share a tender moment with his daughter, Natalia Bryant, who was just five years old at the time. This is how LeBron kicked off the celebration:
"Alright, here we go. Like I said, today is Kobe Bryant’s 30th birthday, and we are going to sing Happy Birthday and on 3,1,2,3. Happy Birthday to you![♪]"
The entire Team USA, along with their loved ones, sang the iconic Happy Birthday tune with joy. James even brought out a small pastry to honor the occasion, followed by a heartfelt hug and handshake with the Mamba.
LeBron James wasn’t the only one honoring Kobe Bryant’s birthday. "Happy heavenly birthday to the 5x NBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, Oscar and Academy Award Winner, and my friend Kobe Bryant! We all miss you, but your legacy lives on with us forever," Magic Johnson wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
As another Lakers icon, it’s no wonder Magic Johnson joined in, reflecting on the bond they shared during Kobe’s life.
Dwyane Wade also paid tribute, using one of Kobe's own quotes to wish the late Lakers star a happy birthday. As a former backcourt powerhouse himself, Wade had numerous battles with Bryant, built on mutual respect.
In their tribute, the Lakers called Kobe their "heart and soul" in a heartfelt post to their social media community.
Kobe retired from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2016, and just two years later, LeBron James joined the team to carry on the franchise’s legacy.
Kobe Bryant left a mark on LeBron James even before the 'Redeem Team'. The year was 2001. Kobe Bryant had just nailed the game-winning shot that secured the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship in the 1999-2000 season. But that wasn’t all. LeBron James recently shared an Instagram story that took fans back to that moment, featuring a young Kobe speaking to an even younger LeBron at the Academic Betterment and Career Development Camp (ABCD Camp) on Backstage Lakers. King James captioned the video, "Didn’t say a word; I just sat there and soaked in every word."
In the background, you can hear James reminiscing, "Went to the ABCD camp on Backstage Lakers and he came and talked to all the kids that were there. I was just listening."
Kobe inspired the young campers, saying, "Just do your thing and go for what you know, man. Go for your dreams. Maybe I’ll see you in the league one of these days. Maybe I’ll be one of those young cats thinking that you can take our championship away and it’s not happening."
James wraps up the story by recalling Bryant’s famous mantra, "If you wanna be one of the greats, you gotta put the work in."
Their collaboration on 'The Redeem Team' in 2007 was just the beginning of their connection.
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