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Allen Iverson wrote this heartfelt letter to his brother in arms, Kobe Bryant, in the Player's Tribune. Enjoy and try not to cry: Dear Kobe, This is going to be tough. But I need to get this off my chest. Everybody clear out for me and Kobe. Clear the paint for Chuck and Kobe, one last time. Kobe Bean Bryant…. My guy. The first time I saw you going up against Black Jesus, when you were 18 years old, I knew you were a killer. That’s when I realized you were going to be a legend in this game. You were going hard at Mike that night. No fear whatsoever. I mean, I knew from passing you in traffic over the years that you were a dog. But when I saw you going at Black Jesus like that? That’s when I knew you were a kindred spirit. We might have grown up in different circumstances, but when I saw you on the court, and how hard you were going, I knew we were raised with the same mentality. I wasn’t tall — but in my mind, I was going to be a giant out there every single night. You were 6′ 6″, and could’ve scored in your sleep. But that wasn’t enough. You were trying to be the best that ever did it. Everybody says they want to be that. But not everybody is willing to sacrifice what it really takes to do it. Remember when I came out to L.A. for the first time our rookie year? You picked me up at the hotel and we went out for some food, and you asked me what I was getting up to later. I said I was going to the club. I mean, we in L.A.! I’m going to the club, Kobe. Come on, man. And what did you say? “I’m going back to the gym.” You’re probably the only dude in the history of the game where the mystique wasn’t exaggerated. The Mamba was no myth, man. It didn’t even do you justice. One, two, three in the morning, we knew where you were. Me and you, every single time we stepped on that floor, we were going to war. But it wasn’t an animosity thing. There was never any beef. It was like heavyweight fighters beating the hell out of one another. And then at the bell, it’s nothing but love and respect. Greatness needs company, and we needed each other. Mike needed Prince like Prince needed Mike. Tyson needed Holyfield like Holyfield needed Tyson. Everybody needs that person to say, Oh, you’re the sh*t, huh? Well I’m the sh*t, too. Greatness needs company, and we needed each other. Mike needed Prince like Prince needed Mike. And boy, you were the sh*t. You were the toughest man that I’ve ever seen in this game. The most cold-blooded serial killer I’ve ever seen. The fiercest competitor I’ve ever seen. I remember hearing the story that you were on the road, and you were watching the highlights of me dropping 35 on the Knicks at the Garden our rookie year, and you got so mad that you smashed up the hotel room and you started researching me like you were in the CIA. “GET ME THE FILE ON A.I.” — I bet it was like that. Studying how great white sharks hunt down seals in the Pacific Ocean and whatnot. What I love about that story is, it’s the truth. That was just our relationship. Two dudes pushing each other to greatness. The next time you came through Philly, you were ALL up in my sh*t. There was no half-stepping you. Every first step, I had to go 100. You’re 6′ 6″, and it was like you wanted to guard me. You wanted the challenge. You wanted to show me that you were the baddest motherf***er to ever play the game. And I didn’t want ANY part of Kobe Bryant on the other end!!!!! Man, hell no!!!!!! I’m not stopping you. Nobody is stopping you. You were KOBE, and you were gonna do whatever you wanted to do out there — because you were a sniper, an assassin, a cold-blooded killer … and now I’m talking about you in the past tense, and I still get emotional about it...

FaithworksX's tweet photo. Allen Iverson wrote this heartfelt letter to his brother in arms, Kobe Bryant, in the Player's Tribune. Enjoy and try not to cry:

Dear Kobe,

This is going to be tough. But I need to get this off my chest. Everybody clear out for me and Kobe.

Clear the paint for Chuck and Kobe, one last time.

Kobe Bean Bryant….

My guy.

The first time I saw you going up against Black Jesus, when you were 18 years old, I knew you were a killer. That’s when I realized you were going to be a legend in this game. You were going hard at Mike that night. No fear whatsoever. I mean, I knew from passing you in traffic over the years that you were a dog. But when I saw you going at Black Jesus like that?

That’s when I knew you were a kindred spirit.

We might have grown up in different circumstances, but when I saw you on the court, and how hard you were going, I knew we were raised with the same mentality. I wasn’t tall — but in my mind, I was going to be a giant out there every single night. You were 6′ 6″, and could’ve scored in your sleep. But that wasn’t enough. You were trying to be the best that ever did it.

Everybody says they want to be that. But not everybody is willing to sacrifice what it really takes to do it.

Remember when I came out to L.A. for the first time our rookie year? You picked me up at the hotel and we went out for some food, and you asked me what I was getting up to later.

I said I was going to the club. I mean, we in L.A.! I’m going to the club, Kobe. Come on, man.

And what did you say?

“I’m going back to the gym.”

You’re probably the only dude in the history of the game where the mystique wasn’t exaggerated. The Mamba was no myth, man. It didn’t even do you justice. One, two, three in the morning, we knew where you were.

Me and you, every single time we stepped on that floor, we were going to war. But it wasn’t an animosity thing. There was never any beef. It was like heavyweight fighters beating the hell out of one another. And then at the bell, it’s nothing but love and respect. Greatness needs company, and we needed each other. Mike needed Prince like Prince needed Mike. Tyson needed Holyfield like Holyfield needed Tyson.

Everybody needs that person to say, Oh, you’re the sh*t, huh? Well I’m the sh*t, too.

Greatness needs company, and we needed each other. Mike needed Prince like Prince needed Mike.

And boy, you were the sh*t. You were the toughest man that I’ve ever seen in this game. The most cold-blooded serial killer I’ve ever seen. The fiercest competitor I’ve ever seen. I remember hearing the story that you were on the road, and you were watching the highlights of me dropping 35 on the Knicks at the Garden our rookie year, and you got so mad that you smashed up the hotel room and you started researching me like you were in the CIA. “GET ME THE FILE ON A.I.” — I bet it was like that. Studying how great white sharks hunt down seals in the Pacific Ocean and whatnot.

What I love about that story is, it’s the truth. That was just our relationship. Two dudes pushing each other to greatness. The next time you came through Philly, you were ALL up in my sh*t. There was no half-stepping you. Every first step, I had to go 100. You’re 6′ 6″, and it was like you wanted to guard me. You wanted the challenge. You wanted to show me that you were the baddest motherf***er to ever play the game.

And I didn’t want ANY part of Kobe Bryant on the other end!!!!!

Man, hell no!!!!!!

I’m not stopping you. Nobody is stopping you. You were KOBE, and you were gonna do whatever you wanted to do out there — because you were a sniper, an assassin, a cold-blooded killer … and now I’m talking about you in the past tense, and I still get emotional about it...

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