How Meeting Kobe Bryant In High School ‘Inspired’ Celtics’ Kemba Walker

Kemba Walker is one of the lucky ones — the 29-year-old got to play at least a handful of games against Kobe Bryant before the late NBA legend suddenly died in a helicopter crash Sunday morning.

But Walker met Bryant, albeit briefly, long before joining the Charlotte Hornets in 2011. The Boston Celtics guard first met Bryant while in high school, and said he was “blessed” to have met Bryant “at such a young age.”

“Just to see him, you know? Just his presence had an impact on me and you just always knew how hard he worked, that was the biggest thing for me was his work ethic and his mentality about the game” Walker said after the Celtics’ loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, as seen on NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage. “That’s what’s inspired me the most, personally.”

Walker isn’t the only current member of the Celtics to model himself after Bryant. Teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been open about idolizing the Lakers great, from stealing Bryant’s warmup routine to working out with him during the NBA offseason.

Bryant was 41 at the time of his death.