Kobe Bryant's legacy lives on in the rafters of Staples Center. Just above his iconic number 24 jersey is James Worthy's number 42.
Worthy and the Showtime Lakers took the NBA by storm in the 1980s.
The scene then was the Forum, the very place where Bryant's legend began.
"A lot of NBA scouts were talking about, 'Man, when this kid comes out of college, we'll be looking to draft him,'" Worthy said. "And Jerry West was like, 'I want this kid right now.'"
So, the kid straight out of high school came to LA from Philly, and just like Worthy, he built a Hall of Fame career. Big Game James won't get the chance to congratulate him but knows what he'd say if he could.
"I would tell Kobe, 'Thank you for continuing the legacy of the NBA, especially for African-American players,'" Worthy said.
He also built on the Lakers legacy of greatness and the Purple and Gold's connection to Los Angeles.
"Kobe was there for them," Worthy added.
"Eighty points, 60 points, game-winning shots, championships. I can't even tell you how inspiring he was to people every day," Worthy said.
Worthy played college basketball with Michael Jordan, who will present Bryant's induction into the Hall of Fame Saturday. Bryant was said to have emulated Jordan's game.
"Michael is probably the only man who could do it correctly," Worthy said.
Bryant took it to a level most could only dream of.
"No one did it like you did," Worthy said of the late Bryant.