NBA Rumors: Kobe Recruiting Irving, Joins LeBron In Luring Stars To Play For LA

Kyrie Irving’s free agency has been a subject of NBA news these past few weeks. And now, another big name has been linked with the star as reports claim that Laker legend and NBA icon Kobe Bryant is recruiting Irving to play for the Lakers.

After retirement, Kobe has been quite active in helping both non-professional and professional basketball players improve their skills. His most recent participation was a training session with Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.

Tatum even admitted that he stole lots of Kobe’s moves, according to NBC Sports.

But now, rumor has it that Kobe has now turned his eyes on Irving for one important reason. Apparently, the former Lakers superstar and five-time NBA champion is convincing Irving to sign with the Lakers this offseason.

According to Ric Bucher, Kobe has been recruiting Irving to Los Angeles over the past 24 hours. "It's between Brooklyn and the Lakers... I was told in the last 24 hours Kobe has been recruiting Kyrie in particular, to get him to the Lakers. Everything I've heard I would still expect Kyrie is going to go to Brooklyn... He just bought a place in South Orange," he said, the Bleacher Report noted.

Bucher believes from what he has learned that Irving is still likely to be with the Nets this offseason and the place that Irving just bought in South Orange, New Jersey is a move which hints that the 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year is highly considering the Brooklyn Nets as a landing spot.

Earlier this week, reports claimed that Irving and the Nets are already on good terms and apparently having a mutual understanding.

As for the Lakers, should this Kobe rumor happens to be true, it would mean that both LeBron James and Kobe are now recruiting stars to join the Lakers. Multiple sources reported in the past that LeBron James has already reached out to big names and top free agents such as Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard. Also, a possible reunion of James and Irving was brought up in some reports.

Kobe and Irving’s relationship has been quite good. Kobe once talked about how he acted as a mentor for Irving at some point and there was a social media trend in the past in which Kobe was talking about how Irving called him to tell him that his advice worked.

At this point, Laker fans can only hope that Kobe is really taking part in the rehabilitation of the Lakers and moreso, Irving to sign with them.