When LeBron James wrote #Mamba4Life in a post on Instagram Saturday, he meant it figuratively and quite literally.
In a tribute to his “brother” Kobe Bryant, James had a black mamba with the numbers 8 and 24 and roses tattooed on his left thigh.
James revealed his new tattoo Saturday just hours before the Los Angeles Lakers played their first game since Bryant’s tragic death in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California where eight others including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were also killed.
An emotional James, who also delivered a speech before tipoff at Staples Center in Los Angeles, had 22 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists in the Lakers’ 127-119 loss to the Blazers.
The Lakers had not played since Sunday in Philadelphia where James passed Bryant for third in the NBA all-time scoring list.
They were supposed to meet the Clippers on Wednesday but the league had to postpone the highly-anticipated clash following Bryant’s death as the city of Los Angeles mourned for its adopted son.
Bryant, 41, won five championships and played 20 seasons all with the Lakers.