By: Fatima Roshni Image credit: Twitter
Two of the prominent NBA icons of today, Los Angeles Clippers star player Paul George and Golden State Warriors star player Klay Thompson, recently came together in a conversation.
Making his appearance in Podcast P, hosted by Paul, Thompson discusses his basketball journey from an emerging star to becoming a part of the Splash Brothers duo alongside Stephen Curry.
Further during the discussion, he went on to reveal a past encounter with the NBA legend and late Kobe Bryant, citing it as a memorable and life-changing moment that earned him his respect.
Dating back to the 2013 NBA Global Games between the Lakers and Warriors in China, Klay, suffering from jet lag, was in the weight room when he found himself in an unexpected encounter with Kobe.
Stating the moment he says, "I can’t sleep, that jetlag is crazy. I go to the weight room, and I’m on the dumbbell bench and someone just tapped me on the shoulder, I looked up and said, Oh damn."
Adding further, "It was Kobe hooked on shades, and I was like camping on the same gym with this man; he just goes suck, shakes my hand, goes the other side of the gym, starts doing his workout.”
Sharing such a moment with a legend like Kobe left quite a lasting impression on Klay, driving his dedication towards his career and helping him establish himself among the current NBA stars.
Leaving a lasting impression, the moment was recalled again by Kobe during their interaction in 2016 that created a special bond between the two NBA players.
Recalling it, he said, "Then to hear him tell that same story in 2016 on his retirement tour, I was like, that’s the stuff that impressed me. So I heard him say that. That’s all I needed to hear.”
Kobe Bryant Had a Special Role to Play in 4x NBA Champion Klay Thompson’s Life That Motivated Him to Become a Basketball Player