The tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi last January was the biggest shock basketball fans could’ve imagined. He was one of the most beloved and well-respected figures in the sport – you don’t even have to be a fan to know that he stood as the Michael Jordan of his generation – and was just starting to branch out on a career after the NBA.

Gigi, meanwhile, was just got fully introduced into the public eye. She played ball, had the passion, and was seen as an heir apparent to her father’s legendary path.

Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, a rising young star who’s only in his second year in the league, had the pleasure of meeting to the Bryants earlier in the season. It was a memorable moment for Young, so he tweeted about that quick encounter following the devastating accident:

The three were able to meet-up when the Hawks visited the Los Angeles Lakers last November, and it was then revealed that Young was actually Gigi’s favourite player. They again watched Young play live a month after.

Earlier this week, Young guested on the All The Smoke podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. There, he talked about meeting Kobe and Gigi, and how it came about:

“His daughter obviously loved watching me play, so Kobe got connected with my trainer, Alex Bazzell, and so that’s how. Gigi was working with my trainer, and she found out, so that’s how I got connected with Kobe. Me and Kobe got to talk pretty frequently, and he just gave me a lot of advice.”

Seeing that it featured individuals that represent the past, present, and future of what a basketball dream is, with Gigi looking up to Trae, and Trae looking up to Kobe, it was a heartwarming moment that’s also heartbreaking to look back on.

Young also explored on that sentiment:

“It was even more heartbreaking for me knowing that I was Gigi’s favorite player to watch, so it’s sad for me, a sad story. I was just blessed that I was able to meet him and have that sort of relationship with him.”

You can feel how hard it must’ve hit a fast-rising up-and-comer like Trae. He was feeling great inspiring a youngster of the game while also slowly gaining the respect of an all-time great, and then it just got cut-off without warning.

With the success of ‘The Last Dance,’ there have been rumours that a Kobe Bryant documentary will be in the works soon. It’s expected to chronicle Kobe’s career, particularly his final season with the Lakers, where he reportedly had a film crew follow him all year. Hopefully, we get more stories and other behind-the-scenes look on another true legend.