We’ve officially reached the slow period of the NBA offseason, when free-agency fun is weeks removed yet the opening of training camps remains a month away.
For NBA players, that lull in activity means rare downtime before their schedules pick up dramatically in late September. In some cases, that means extended family time and/or vacations. For Lakers’ icon Kobe Bryant, it also offers the opportunity to take in a Taylor Swift concert in his own arena.
My pleasure @taylorswift13 Keep breaking records and changing lives #1989TourLA https://t.co/MNCvXOpXPk
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) August 22, 2015
It was a beautiful night in Los Angeles. Thank you @kobebryant, Ryan Tedder @OneRepublic, @STAPLESCenter & the fans! pic.twitter.com/nKb44khnaA
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) August 22, 2015
Bryant joined Swift onstage during her 1989 Tour on Friday night, which marked the pop star’s fifth show of her nine-night run at Staples Center. It was Swift’s 16th career sold-out show at Staples Center, and Bryant surprised the 25-year-old with a banner commemorating the record occasion.
What an amazing night. Can’t wait for the next 4 shows! #1989TourLA A photo posted by STAPLES Center (@staplescenterla) on
Bryant made his cameo during Taylor’s hit “Style,” drawing loud cheers from the Staples Center crowd.
Swift has previously appeared courtside at Lakers games, so it was fitting for Bryant to return the favor. But make no mistake: he’s still the primary Staples Center tenant. After all, Swift still needs four more banners to match the five that Bryant has helped bring to the building during his storied career.
That said, Swift clearly has more years left at the top of her game than Bryant does at his. Next season will be Bryant’s 20th in the NBA, after which he might call it a career (you can vote in our poll, here).
Or perhaps he’ll go “22.”
Ben DuBose is a veteran sports reporter who has followed the Houston Rockets and the NBA since Hakeem Olajuwon was Akeem Olajuwon. He writes for both SheridanHoops and ClutchFans, an independent Rockets blog. You can follow him on Twitter.