Allen Iverson paid tribute to his late friend and 1996 draftmate Kobe Bryant in an open letter that The Players Tribune published Monday.

The piece, titled "Dear Kobe," opens with the former Philadelphia 76ers star reminiscing about the first time he saw an 18-year-old Bryant compete against Michael Jordan.

"That's when I realized you were going to be a legend in this game," he wrote. "You were going hard at Mike that night. No fear whatsoever. I mean, I knew from passing you in traffic over the years that you were a dog. But when I saw you going at Black Jesus like that?

"That's when I knew you were a kindred spirit."

Iverson goes on to say that while he considers Jordan to be the GOAT, Bryant will always be his No. 2.

"Nobody was tougher than you. Nobody got more out of me. We're linked forever in this game - in this life," Iverson wrote. "I just wish we'd had more time."

Sunday marked what would've been Bryant's 42nd birthday, and the celebration of his legacy will continue over the next several days during what Nike has dubbed "Mamba Week."