Kobe happy to see LeBron carry torch for Lakers: 'Now it is somebody else's time'
The brand-new King of Los Angeles has the blessing of the Black Mamba.
The Lakers organization has a fresh franchise superstar at its disposal in the form of four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant - undeniably the team's last true cornerstone - is ready to watch James lift the team back to the promised land.
"Dude, as people, you got to help your brothers do well," said Bryant on Stephen A. Smith's radio show, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "I had a great run, I played 20 years, it was awesome, I had a great time, we are fortunate enough to win five championships and all that. Now it is somebody else's time. And that is what the Lakers have always been about.
"When I came here, Magic [Johnson] welcomed me with open arms, me and Shaq [O'Neal], and we were able to carry on the tradition with Magic's and Kareem's [Abdul-Jabbar] support and certainly it is our responsibility to pay that forward. So anything that I can do whatsoever to help LeBron bring a championship back to the city of LA, I am all for it."
The Lakers have fallen off the map in recent years, having failed to qualify for the playoffs since 2013 when they were bounced in the first round. Last season's 35-47 mark was the first time they've topped 30 victories during that stretch.
James' mere presence on the team has encouraged past rivals of his to join his cause, such as Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson. Now it may be asking too much to expect a title out of the gate, but even if the Lakers don't reach those lofty heights, they're still a force to be reckoned with now that James is on board.
Bryant is just happy to see the storied purple and gold relevant once again.
"It takes a certain player to put on that jersey," Bryant added. "Our franchise has been really fortunate to have some truly great, historic players to represent the franchise. Extremely fortunate now to have LeBron as one of those players.
"For other players around the league, I think it has pushed the Lakers front and center again and top of the conversation. It creates an energy around the city which I think is extremely important not just for the city itself but the league as a whole. The league tends to do better when the Lakers and Boston are in contention."