Michael Jordan once revealed the final text messages he exchanged with Kobe Bryant before the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar's tragic death in 2020.
The Chicago Bulls legend and the Lakers icon enjoyed a brief rivalry on the court, facing off towards the tail end of Jordan's career when Bryant was still a youngster in the league.
But the pair developed a close personal relationship off the court after their respective retirements.
Bryant modelled his game on Jordan, mirroring the five-time MVP's high-flying athleticism and lethal mid-range scoring ability.
Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan played against each other several times during this careers. (Image: Getty)
And the Lakers star applied those skills to drive one of the most successful careers in NBA history, winning five championships, one MVP and two Finals MVPs between his maiden season in 1996 and his retirement 20 years later.
Bryant tragically died – alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others – in a helicopter accident in 2020. He was just 41 years old.
Speaking to ESPN back in 2021, Jordan revealed the final text messages he exchanged with Bryant before his death.
"This tequila is awesome," Kobe texted, referring to Jordan's Cincoro Tequila, a bottle of which was sent to Bryant at the launch.
"Thank you, my brother," Jordan said
"Yes, sir. Family good?" Bryant replied.
"All good. Yours?"
"All good."
Then Jordan candidly added some context to an exchange between the pair over the Christmas period.
"He was really into coaching Gigi, so I hit him up about that," Jordan explained.
"Happy holidays," Jordan texted, "and hope to catch up soon. Coach Kobe??!"
"I added that little crying/laughing emoji," Jordan said in the interview.
"Ah, back at you, man," Kobe responded. "Hey, coach, I'm sitting on the bench right now, and we're blowing this team out. 45-8."
Bryant – who averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game across his career – was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in the months after his death.
