Ever since his debut in 2007, Lewis Hamilton has been on a mission to collect rare artifacts and memorabilia from the world of sports. In addition to the trophies he has amassed during his career, he also keeps souvenirs, such as helmets, from his races. His private collection also features homages to other sports stars—such as a painting of F1 legend Ayrton Senna and a memento of a cheerful night with the NBA great Kobe Bryant.

Kobe Bryant, may he rest in peace, was an absolute legend of the game and only a handful of people came close in terms of technical ability. The L.A. Lakers shooting guard tragically lost his life in 2020 in a helicopter crash. Bryant left the world with an incredible legacy and the rarest of photos with the then-McLaren man Lewis Hamilton.

The two world champions met back in November 2008 in West Hollywood. Hamilton was dating Nicole Scherzinger, of The Pussycat Dolls fame, at the time. The occasion was the launch party of the Pussycat Dolls Lounge. Paris Hilton was hosting the affair—an after-party of the American Music Awards.

Hamilton, a fresh world champion, and the youngest one at the time came across an even grander royalty at the event. It was Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa Laine Bryant. This collection of people together made for the rarest photo you will come across in some time.

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Hamilton and Scherzinger have since been separated and Kobe has sadly left the world. We will never see this group together and smiling like this again, but even the photo gives the fans a lot to cherish. Kobe’s memory, it seems, is something that Hamilton cherishes as well.

Lewis Hamilton delivers a powerful message using a Kobe Bryant quote

Lewis Hamilton admitted how his success puts a target on his back after his crash with Max Verstappen in Brazil in November this year. However, this wasn’t the first time the Brit spoke about having a target on his back.

Hamilton comes under constant scrutiny. However, he always replies to the hate both with powerful performances and equally powerful words. Back in 2020, after Bryant’s death, the Brit used the quote of the late legend to shut his haters.

“Haters are a good problem to have. Nobody hates the good ones. They hate the great ones,” wrote Hamilton on his Instagram story.

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With the success Hamilton has achieved throughout his career, there are bound to be haters. However, Hamilton is incredibly thick-skinned and exemplifies the “Mamba Mentality” that fans of Kobe so dearly miss.