BREAKING: 6-Word Kobe Bryant Message to Ron Artest Goes Viral Tuesday
The Los Angeles Lakers are a franchise steeped in tradition and history, most recently winning NBA championships in 2020 and 2009-2010, when they beat the Boston Celtics in seven games.
The Lakers won back-to-back championships with Kobe Bryant as the unquestioned leader of the team after Shaquille O'Neal landed with the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns, including one with former Pacers star Ron Artest in 2010, shortly before he changed his name to Metta World Peace.
On Tuesday, a classic video of Bryant's message to Artest upon joining the Lakers continued circulating on social media, going viral as Lakers and NBA fans reminisced about the good old days.
People visit a memorial wall for Giannt and Kobe Bryant in Sacramento in 2020.
© Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
The video showed an interview with Bryant speaking about Trevor Ariza, a player Bryant said is was "like a brother to (him)" and "showed up to work every single day, came to practice early, stayed at practice late.
"And this is who you're coming in here to replace, so, I better not get any (expletive) from you," Bryant says in the video below.
"And it was really that direct, and him understanding, this is not a place to come around and goof around or act out or anything like that," Bryant continued.
The video was viewed over 3.4 million times as of Wednesday morning with fans sharing their memories of the Lakers great, who passed away on January 26, 2020, shortly before the COVID-19 situation happened worldwide.
"Wish we could get Kobe back. Trade for LeBron," one fan said.
"Kobe just wanted to win. You don't have those type guys no more. Now days cats would avoid being around him," another fan added on the five-time NBA champion.
Film director Johnny Sweet said in the comments section that the clip was from his documentary 'Quiet Storm: The Ron Artest Story,'" which aired on Showtime, and asked the posting account Ballislife.com to be given credit.