Lakers legend Magic Johnson offers Kobe Bryant a fitting send-off

LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant shared a moving exchange with Magic Johnson as he took to the court for the last NBA game of his career on Wednesday night.

Bryant and Johnson, Lakers icons both, hugged at courtside at the Staples Center in the moments after Johnson had stood in the middle of the floor and paid tribute to the departing superstar.

“We are here to celebrate greatness for 20 years,” Johnson told the crowd, to raucous cheers, “Excellence for 20 years. Kobe Bryant has never cheated the game, never cheated us as the fans. He has played through injury, he has played hurt. And we have five championship banners to show for it.

“When you think about this town for the last 20 years this man has been the biggest and greatest celebrity we’ve had.”

Bryant and Johnson have become firm friends over the years, with Bryant admiring Johnson’s successful transition from basketball into the business world.

Instead of goodbye, Kobe Bryant wants to say thank you

Johnson’s speech was followed by a series of tributes that played over a floor-to-ceiling cloth screen that was draped over the jumbotron.

Colleagues and rivals, past and present, all gave fond words of farewell, some more popular than others. Carmelo Anthony, Steph Curry and Dwyane Wade all received a warm reaction, LeBron James and Kevin Garnett less so.

Nothing however, could match the response to iconic Lakers figures such as Shaquille O’Neal, Phil Jackson, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher…and the ever-popular Lamar Odom.