LeBron James opens up on how he and Kobe Bryant developed a relationship

During the late 2000s and early 2010s, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant were the two biggest NBA superstars around by a huge margin. And while they had a good relationship after James joined the Lakers in the years before Kobe's tragic passing, that wasn't always the case.

The King gave his most candid interview yet to Pat McAfee on Wednesday, and during, he addressed a multitude of topics fans want answered. While speaking about the late Lakers legend, James explained the change that caused them to develop a better bond.

LeBron James on his relationship with Kobe Bryant and not being able to play Mamba in the 2009 NBA Finals 👀 pic.twitter.com/2M7tXhI2NM
— Kobe Bryant Stories & Motivation (@kobehighlight) March 27, 2025

"The funny thing is, me and Kobe never had a real relationship either, until we was on the Olympic team," James said. "We had a great relationship there. But it was always competitive between us. I was on the East Coast, he was on the West Coast. Until I became a Laker and he retired, that's when our relationship became really good."

In the aftermath of Kobe Bryant's unexpected passing, it was LeBron James that stepped up and provided support to the grieving Lakers organisation and their fans. While they may not have initially had the best relationship, it's beautiful to see that the King eventually followed Kobe's footsteps in bringing glory to his beloved Lakers.

Being an NBA superstar comes with a lot of responsibilities and expectations. In NBA history, there are only a few people that will understand what it's like to be a LeBron James, a Michael Jordan, a Kobe Bryant. And while we love seeing the greatest competing against one another, the hope is that they are also able to maintain good relationships with one another.

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