Lakers News: Kobe Bryant's Memory Continuing To Resonate With 2 First Round Picks

His memory lives on!

The 2023 NBA draft has come and gone, with so many great stories and players getting to live out their dreams. It's a special night for everyone involved as the league welcomes a new group to the family. Your Los Angeles Lakers ended up making both of their picks, rather than make any trade for them as it has been possibly reported. But there was another really cool aspect from this draft class.

Two prospects that were taken in the first round shared a similar name to a Lakers legend. It was something that we hadn't really seen before and it brought back memories for NBA fans.

Kobe Bufkin and Kobe Brown were drafted in the 1st Round tonight. Rob Pelinka, one of Kobe Bryant’s closest friends, on the occurrence: pic.twitter.com/U9sPsmpG2L

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 23, 2023

Both Kobe Bufkin and Kobe Brown being taken in the first round isn't a reflection on the late Kobe Bryant. It shows the work that the two men have put in but their names do mean something. As Rob Pelinka said, it's a special thing but it shows the impact the Bryant left on everyone. It shows that the Mamba Mentality is still there and has been there.

Bufkin got selected with the 15th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks while Brown got taken by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 30th pick. Both men now have a chance to show what they can do on the NBA floor and honor Bryant in their own ways. But they are their own men and just because of their name, it doesn't mean that we need to compare them to Bryant.

It was a cool moment for all Laker fans and NBA fans alike. We still miss Bryant everyday but his memory will live on forever.

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