Kyrie Irving honors Kobe Bryant

The NBA world lost one of its greatest legends, Kobe Bryant, in 2020. Like Bryant’s millions of fans, Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving continues to feel his presence in spirit and is deeply grateful for the lessons he learned from the Lakers legend. Irving recently shared his grief over losing Bryant, whom he regarded as his mentor.

“I don’t know if anyone here has ever lost a mentor. Even if you guys didn’t talk everyday, there was still that connection that they were gonna always be there for you. I miss [Kobe Bryant] every single day,” Irving said.

Throughout his career, Irving built a deep relationship with Bryant that exceeded the typical teacher-student dynamic. In his recent take, Irving then shared the influence Bryant had on his career and how he approached the game of basketball.

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I had that type of mentorship and relationship with him where I was able to ask him almost anything. He was just easy to approach with those type of questions about what goes on day in and day out, chasing something that’s bigger than yourself,” Irving added.

Like Bryant, Irving has numerous young players who draw inspiration from his exceptional skills. As a mentor, Irving aims to honor Kobe’s legacy by serving as a guiding figure for the young stars.

Kyrie Irving Has a Chance to Fulfill Kobe Bryant’s Legacy Against the Celtics

Kyrie Irving has long idolized Kobe Bryant. Now, has the opportunity to honor his legacy as the ultimate Bryant admirer. Bryant’s last championship victory, achieved by defeating the Boston Celtics, was driven by his quest for revenge and redemption.

“The last one is always the most special to me because it was the hardest to get, playing our rival, the Celtics. And you know, them having beat us in 2008, it was a kind of redemption,” Kobe said.

Now, as the Dallas Mavericks prepare to face the Celtics in the NBA Finals, Irving can draw motivation from his mentor’s words and strive to emulate Bryant’s triumph. Just as Bryant used past defeats to fuel his determination, Irving can channel that same spirit to secure a championship victory for the Mavericks