Kobe Bryant is regarded by many as the greatest player to suit up in ‘Purple and Gold.’ During his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, the team won 5 championships, one of them being against Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers in the finals of 2001. The Lakers would eliminate the 76ers in 5 games, but what stood out was the battle between Kobe and AI.
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031258.SP.0806.lakers18.WS Lakers Kobe Bryant and 76ers Allen Iverson have a few words with each other at the end of the fourth quarter of the NBA Final game between the Lakers and the 76ers, Friday, June 8, 2001 at the Staples Center. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The two superstars always had a mutual respect for each other, which even went beyond the basketball court itself. In commemoration of this respect and love that the two shared, Bleacher Report shared a tweet of AI’s reaction to a fan asking him to sign a poster of Kobe Bryant and him during their basketball days in the NBA.
"Man, I need one of these" ❤️ Allen Iverson’s reaction to a poster of him and Kobe is everything (via kkcameron/IG)
In the video that was tweeted, AI can be seen in awe of the poster as he reminisces about his days battling it out with Kobe. Furthermore, AI even asked the fan for an extra poster, saying that he needed one, and then proceeded to sign the poster for the fan. Following this was a whole host of reactions on Twitter expressing love for both AI and Kobe.
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Twitter reacts to Iverson signing Kobe’s poster
Several fans took to Twitter expressing how the two stars had mutual respect for each other and recognized the greatness of one another.
Bruh they loved each other but wanted to rip each other up on the court!!!! RESPECT!!!!!
"Man, I need one of these" ❤️ Allen Iverson’s reaction to a poster of him and Kobe is everything (via kkcameron/IG)
Furthermore, many fans expressed support for AI as a humble superstar. They were emotional, yet appreciative of his gesture in memory of Kobe Bryant.
Would’ve been the same reaction if Bean was still with us. No one shows love like AI.
"Man, I need one of these" ❤️ Allen Iverson’s reaction to a poster of him and Kobe is everything (via kkcameron/IG)
AI is such a down to earth individual
"Man, I need one of these" ❤️ Allen Iverson’s reaction to a poster of him and Kobe is everything (via kkcameron/IG)
Some fans, like AI, became emotional too. They fondly remembered the face offs between the two superstars and expressed their feelings on Twitter.
AI and Bean❤️❤️❤️
"Man, I need one of these" ❤️ Allen Iverson’s reaction to a poster of him and Kobe is everything (via kkcameron/IG)
Overall, it seems clear that there was a mix of reactions among the fans that included sadness and love. But what tied these reactions together is the wholesome respect that the fans had for the stars.
Kobe and Iverson in the NBA
While Kobe Bryant enjoyed 5 titles with the Lakers, 76ers legend AI retired without a ring. But that doesn’t take away from his greatness. AI left fans in awe with several iconic moments. One of them being the crossover on Michael Jordan. Kobe also gave fans several iconic moments too, most notably his 81 point performance against the Toronto Raptors. And when the two of them met on court, it was always a sight to see.
When the 2 stars matched up in the finals in 2001, it was a battle for the ages. Game 1 featured a dominant performance from AI as he propelled the 76ers to a win behind a 48 point performance. In the remaining 4 games, Kobe would help his team win through his scoring and passing.
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Allen Iverson vs Kobe Bryant – 2001 NBA Finals Stats
Evidently, the two are legends of the game, and their respect and love for each other has extended beyond the court itself.