LeBron James Says Kobe Bryant Gave Him the Sneakers He Wore Against Carmelo Anthony in High School
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The long-standing friendly rivalry between LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony is well-documented, but today we’re learning something new about about the sneakers James wore for their first-ever encounter on the court.
Ahead of the Cavs’ upcoming home game against the Lakers, ESPN asked LeBron to reflect on his favorite Kobe Bryant moment, and his answer probably isn’t what you expected. James recalls the 2002 NBA All-Star Game when he had the chance to meet the Mamba and was gifted a very special pair of kicks — the super rare “USA Flag” colorway of the adidas Kobe Two, of which only 30 pairs were produced.
“My most fond moment is he gave me his shoes when I was in high school. I think I was playing in a tournament in Teaneck, New Jersey, and they were playing in the [2002] All-Star game in Philly,” James told ESPN. “And I had an opportunity to go meet him, and he gave me a pair of his shoes, and I actually wore them in a game against Oak Hill, against Melo, actually.”
The game that LeBron mentioned was of course the famous televised showdown between St. Vincent-St. Mary and Oak Hill Academy on February 10, 2002. Reminisce on the early days of two of the NBA’s best by checking out the throwback footage below.
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