Arash Markazi: Kawhi Leonard at forefront of new generation of stars mentored by Kobe Bryant

CHICAGO - Kobe Bryant smiled when he thought back to one of his first meetings with Kawhi Leonard.

"I remember sitting with Kawhi at an All-Star game, I think it was in L.A. during his rookie year," Bryant said in one of his final sit-down interviews before the Lakers faced the Clippers to start the regular season in October. "We had a Nike suite at the All-Star game and he was in the suite and I was there and he came and sat next