Russell Westbrook Recalls Meeting Kobe Bryant at UCLA

Rockets point guard Russell Westbrook honored fallen Lakers legend Kobe Bryant on Friday night, posting a photo alongside the five-time champion on Instagram.

“I am devastated about the passing of Kobe & Gigi, on every level,” Westbrook wrote. “I met Kobe when I was 16 at UCLA playing against him in a pick up game. He played like it was the NBA finals. From that point on, I decided that I wanted to emulate his Mamba mentality. ...He became a friend, a brother, a mentor, a teacher, he defended me, he believed in me, and he taught me how to weather the storm. I can go on and on, but I want to thank you for being my idol, & inspiration.”

Bryant tragically died in a tragic helicopter crash on Sunday in Calabasas, Calif. Bryant’s daughter, Gianna, also perished in the crash along with seven other victims.

The Rockets were the first team to play following Bryant’s tragic death, facing the Nuggets on Sunday afternoon. Friday night marked the Rockets’ first home game since Bryant’s death, and Houston honored Bryant and the crash victims with a touching pregame tribute.

Bryant and Westbrook battled 33 times across eight seasons from Westbrook’s rookie year in 2008 to Bryant’s retirement in 2016. The duo appeared to have a kinship in Bryant’s final decade in the league, and Bryant praised Westbrook’s mentality and aggression in a 2015 interview.

“Westbrook plays mean. He plays mean like I did,” Bryant told NBA TV's Ahmad Rashad. 

Westbrook continued his dominant stretch on Friday, finishing with 32 points and nine rebounds in a win over the Mavericks. Bryant played 61 contests against the Rockets in from 1996-2016, averaging 26.6 points per game.