Jordan Clarkson is probably just one of many people looking forward to Kobe Bryant's return to Los Angeles Lakers line up.
In his own piece at The Player's Tribune, the 2015 All-Rookie Team reminisced on the time he first went toe-to-toe against the Black Mamba.
"It wasn't even preseason yet, but Kobe was going full speed. Somehow he made it look as if he was just gliding around," 23-year old Clarkson wrote.
"I don't think he had played all summer due to his injury, but he still killed everyone. The first possession, he caught the rock along the baseline and hit a turn-around jumper in my face ... a shot I've seen him hit literally a thousand times on TV. "Hey, don't hurt yourself, young fella," Kobe uttered to me."
Kobe Bryant return is still hard to determine but in previous interviews, he said he is hoping to get back to scrimmage by the end of this month.
For Clarkson, Kobe Bryant return means more learning time for him. While the five-time champion was out during the 2014-15 season, it is the Filipino-American point guard who took over. He averaged 11.9 points per game, 3.2 RPG, and 3.5 APG.
Many critics are thinking Kobe Bryant's return can only mean less effective offense for the Los Angeles Lakers. Others also claim he will only boss other players around. As for Clarkson, that is not entirely the truth. He wrote Kobe is also the type who lifts the spirit of his teammates.
"There aren't too many guys who get an opportunity to sit down, talk to Kobe and actually pick his brain, but I was afforded this privilege. It was an incredible learning experience for me, to say the least. For all the stories you hear about Kobe talking trash and demanding a lot from his teammates, on many occasions he's picked us up, too. He leads by example; however, you don't hear about that much in the media."
Who's excited for Kobe Bryant's return?
