Kobe Bryant autographed Stephen Curry’s All-Star jersey

Kobe Bryant’s “Autograph memorabilia for the NBA’s top stars” tour continued after the league’s 2016 All-Star Game.

He has already thrown some signed sneakers toward Kevin Durant, Paul George, Draymond Green and LeBron James. And on Valentine’s Day, it was the reigning NBA MVP’s turn to get some Kobe swag.

Except Stephen Curry didn’t want to be just another Kobe groupie. He didn’t ask or expect to receive a pair of Bean’s game-worn or out-of-the-box shoes. No, Curry wanted something different, and he got it:

The fact that Kobe is signing Curry’s jersey rather than his own is unequivocally awesome. I have my doubts about whether he would have accepted a similar request five, seven or 10 years ago. Like, couldn’t you just picture his infamous hubris shining through?

NBA Player X: “Hey, Kobe. Wanna sign my jersey?”

Kobe: Hahahahahahaha…Oh, you’re serious? No. No, no, no. I’ll give you a pair of my sweat-soaked socks, though.

Clearly Kobe has softened with time and at the prospect of his impending retirement. There’s also the matter of him respecting a fellow league MVP enough to whisper sweet everythings into his ear:

https://twitter.com/HPbasketball/status/699140522129031169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

There is only one pressing question left to ask at this very moment: If Kobe has given signed shoes and jerseys to Curry, Durant, George, Green and LeBron, what will he give Russell Westbrook, who mirrors his competitive savagery, when the Los Angeles Lakers meet the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final time of No. 24’s career on April 11?

My guess is he’ll autograph the severed head of a snake. What say you?

[h/t to Bleacher Report]