James also reflected on nearly being able to face off against Bryant during the 2009 NBA Finals — although his then-Cleveland Cavaliers ended up losing the Eastern Conference Finals to the Orlando Magic, missing the opportunity for a James-Bryant championship face-off.
“I f—– up one time in ’09, I think it was ’09, and didn’t beat Orlando and didn’t get an opportunity to play him in the finals,” James said.
James’ reflections came up as he also revealed what his relationship is like with Michael Jordan these days. While speaking with McAfee, the Lakers star revealed that they’re in “a good spot.”
“We don’t talk,” James said, adding that he believes it’s because he’s “still playing” in the NBA.
“We all know MJ. Even if you don’t know him personally, he’s one of the most ruthless competitors there is. ‘Til I’m done and he doesn’t have to look at me run up and down wearing the number 23 and every time my name is mentioned, it’s mentioned with his. He’s like, ‘I don’t want to f—— talk to you,” James joked.
James has previously shared memories of his late friend Bryant, doing so after a series victory in September 2020, when he told reporters what it was like to get Bryant’s approval after he joined the team.
“I do remember when I decided to come here, he sent me a text right away and said, ‘Welcome, brother. Welcome to the family,’ ” James said, per Yahoo Sports. “That was a special moment because, at the time, Laker faithful wasn’t [fully in on me]. A lot of people were saying, ‘Well, we might not want LeBron at this point in his career,’ and, ‘Is he right? Is he going to get us back [to the Finals]?’”
“So to hear from him and get his stamp of approval, it meant a lot,” James said. “I don’t ever question myself, but when it’s coming from Kobe, it definitely meant a lot.”
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