The Los Angeles Lakers will wear Kobe Bryant-inspired Black Mamba jerseys in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, CBS Sports reports.
The team was originally going to wear them in Game 7, but because it appears they could be going into a clincher they decided to wear them earlier for Friday night's game versus the Miami Heat.
Editor's note: the attached video is from a recent broadcast about a new Calif. law put in place after the deadly helicopter crash involving Kobe Bryant
The uniforms appear to have not just honored Bryant but perhaps even brought the team luck.
“… there may be a competitive advantage to wearing the uniforms as well. The Lakers are 4-0 wearing the Mamba jerseys this postseason, including a Game 2 win in these Finals,” wrote Sam Quinn of CBS.
Yes, probably a coincidence?
This is not the first time players have honored Bryant’s memory on the court. They’ve also been wearing a patch with his initials since his shocking death earlier this year.