NBA legend Kobe Bryant had given a book to Klay Thompson with a message "Rings, Rings, Rings, Rings..."  before he died.  

The Mamba Mentality Book
(Photo : Twitter)

Golden State Warrior star player Klay Thompson shared on Friday a gift he received from Kobe Bryant before the Black Mamba died in January. It was a book Bryant released in 2018 entitled "Black Mamba Mentality: How I Play." The book has the words "Rings, Rings, Rings, Rings..." inscribed on it, MSN Sports reports.

According to a published report of NBC Sports, Klay Thompson has long been a fan of Kobe Bryant since he was a kid. Despite the fact that Kobe Bryant was one of the fiercest competitors in the league, he respected and admired the NBA Legend. 

Klay Thompson's Affinity with Kobe Bryant

Ever since Klay Thompson started joining the professional league, he has only played one team in the NBA, the Golden State Warriors. There were rumors during his free agency that he was considering Los Angeles Lakers before the season began and it is because of his affinity to the team. 

Klay Thompson's father, Mychal Thompson, played for the Los Angeles Lakers together with Magic Johnson from 1987-1991. Both of them have helped the team dominate the league and brought two championships. This is why Thompson was rumored to join Lakers before he re-signed another contract with the Golden State Warriors last summer. 

Remembering the Black Mamba

The world was shocked after TMZ first reported the death of the NBA Legend Kobe Bryant together with his daughter Gianna and several others in a fatal helicopter crash. Fans and athletes around the world mourned for Bryant's death. 

Klay Thompson posted on his Instagram photos of him and Bryant inside the locker room during the NBA All-Star Game in Toronto Canada, a photo of him and his father visiting Kobe Bryant when he was still a kid, and a book titled "A Celebration of Life" that has the photo of Kobe and his daughter Gianna Bryant as the cover. 

In his post, Thompson wrote: "No amount of words can express how much Kobe meant to me and my family. Growing up, he was my favorite player on my favorite team. Like so many of you, it has been hard for me to process what happened and what was lost."

He also added: "To the Bryant, Altobelli, Chester, Mauser and Zobayan families, my heart aches for your loss. You will always be in my thoughts and prayers. There is not a day that goes by I don't think about you Big Bro. Rest in peace Mamba and Mambacita. Your legacies will live on, not only thru every hooper who love the game, but with anyone who has a dream and the passion to do whatever it takes to make it a reality."

It is undeniable based on his post that Klay Thompson has been a long fan of Kobe Bryant. Both of them have won championship rings in the NBA. Kobe had five while Thompson had three.  

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