Lots of players looked up to Kobe Bryant, but Kyrie Irving idolized him and developed a close relationship with the late NBA legend. With the Dallas Mavericks in town to play the Los Angeles Lakers in a game where everyone was talking about Luka Doncic, Irving had his own special moment before tipoff involving his friend and mentor.

Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic’s first clash as opponents ended exactly how it started. The two superstar guards slapped the front-side of each other’s hands, interlocked their fingers and hugged — the completion of a handshake symbolizing their bond that extends well beyond the basketball court.