Eight insiders deny LeBron James presence at Kobe Bryant's memorial, claims award-winning journalist:“He was Casper the ghost”

LeBron James was among the prominent voices that expressed the sentiments of the basketball world when they mourned Lakers legend Kobe Bryant upon his passing. However, according to eight sources who attended Bryant's memorial service at Crypto.com Arena, James was nowhere in sight while the service was in progress.

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant were personal friends, and Bryant was sort of a mentor to LeBron when he entered the league at 18. Although the two were enemies on the court, they were friends off of it, and combined to play for the U.S. in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Bryant was one of LeBron's fiercest supporters when he signed with the Lakers.

Pablo Torre, host of the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast, said on Friday's episode that he reached out to eight different insiders who helped put together and cover Kobe Bryant's memorial service to ask them whether or not LeBron James was there. According to his sources, James was nowhere to be found.

"One of the people who did not see LeBron at all that day was, in fact Lakers owner Jeanie Buss," Torre said when talking about whether or not LeBron actually attended the service. "As one of sources, who spent that morning in the event's VIP areas says 'There's no f***ing way he was there. If he was there, he was Casper the Ghost.'"

LeBron James has only told former Lakers teammate Anthony Davis about the experience of hearing about Bryant's passing, but he did not elaborate on how the memorial service was for him. His staying out of sight at the ceremony is what created doubt about whether or not he attended.

LeBron James and other basketball legends delivered heartfelt eulogies to Kobe Bryant

Although LeBron James apparently was not in the building when Kobe Bryant's memorial service took place, the Lakers forward made sure he delivered his message about the Lakers legend before their first home game following his death. Lebron walked onto center court before the game and gave an emotional speech in which he praised Bryant as a great competitor and friend to him in life.

James was not the only one to have positive things to say about Bryant when he passed. Basketball legends Diana Taurasi, Sabrina Ionescu, Shaquille O'Neal, and Michael Jordan each had their turn at the memorial service to say a few words. The overall message was one of thanks as past and present players thanked Bryant for what he taught them.

Kobe Bryant is beloved in Los Angeles and is the lone player to have two jerseys retired by the team. While his #8 and #24 jerseys hang in the rafters along with the other Lakers legends, players continue to look up to Bryant as they build their own careers, drawing inspiration from his legacy.