Barcelona player Yamal posted a black and white photo on his social media story, showing himself embracing Pedri and Eric García. He only added "mamba" and a snake emoji, using his teammates' jersey numbers to pay tribute to NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
Yamal did not write a lengthy message, but the post quickly garnered attention on social media. At first glance, it's simply a photo showcasing the close relationship between Barcelona teammates, but it carries a deeper meaning: Pedri wears jersey number 8, and Eric García wears jersey number 24. These are the two numbers Kobe wore during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. Furthermore, Barcelona's away kit features Kobe's personal logo, replacing the traditional Nike swoosh.
The word "mamba" directly references Kobe's nickname, "Black Mamba." As one of the most iconic players in NBA history, Kobe wore jersey number 8 from 1996 to 2006 and jersey number 24 from 2006 until his retirement in 2016. The Lakers subsequently retired both of his jersey numbers.
The photo shared by Yamal is from a post by the marketing agency responsible for managing his personal image. The same post also includes an AI-generated image depicting two phases of Kobe's career in a single frame: two versions of Kobe, wearing numbers 8 and 24, embracing on the court as if they were two different players.
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