LeBron James said knowing this will be Kobe Bryant's last season is "truly sad for me" and that he regrets that the pair never faced off in the NBA Finals.
当得知本赛季将会是科比·布莱恩特的最后一季时，詹姆斯表示“自己真的非常伤心”，他也很遗憾在NBA的总决赛上从未与科比交过手。
"I didn't hold up my end of the bargain in 2009 for us, to meet in the Finals," James said Tuesday, looking back on the 2008-09 season when his Cleveland Cavaliers led the league with a 66-16 record and Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers were right behind him at 65-17. "I know the world wanted to see it. I wanted it, we wanted it. He held up his end and I didn't hold up my end, and I hate that. I hate that that didn't happen."
“在2009年，我没有把握住我俩在NBA总决赛会面的机会，”詹姆斯周二表示。回顾2008-09赛季，詹姆斯所在的克里夫兰骑士队以66胜16负的战绩高居全联盟第一，而科比所在的湖人则恰恰以65胜17负紧随其后。“我知道全世界都想看到（在总决赛碰面）。我也想，我们俩都想。他最后做到了，而我没有。我对此很后悔很自责。”

James and the Cavs lost to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference finals 4-2, with the Lakers going on to beat the Magic in the championship round 4-1. With Bryant and the Pau Gasol-led Lakers hitting their stride at the same time James was on the top team in the East with Cleveland and later the Miami Heat, a Finals matchup seemed inevitable to observers. However, James said he never assumed it would occur.
詹姆斯和他的骑士队在那年的东部决赛以2比4的总比分输给了奥兰多魔术队，而湖人队最终在总决赛上以4比1的比分击败了魔术拿下了总冠军。当时，科比和加索尔领衔的湖人队正值巅峰，而与此同时詹姆斯所在的骑士队、以及后来的迈阿密热火队在东部也是顶级球队，总决赛的最终对决看起来是板上钉钉的。然而，詹姆斯表示，自己从没设想过这种事情。
"I mean, in high school I wore a nappy-ass Afro because of Kobe Bryant," James said. "Because he wore it. I wanted to be just like him, man. And I always said my inspiration came from Jordan, but I always thought Jordan was so out of this world that I could never get there. Kobe was someone that I just always kind of wanted to be like and play like."
“在高中时，我会留着蓬松头，那就是因为是受科比的影响。”詹姆斯说，“我一直想成为像科比一样的人，我一直说我的动力来自于迈克尔·乔丹，但我也一直认为乔丹太了不起了，我可能永远达不到他的位置。科比是我一直都渴望成为的球员。”
James eventually became a teammate of Bryant's on Team USA, competing alongside one another in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Games. He said his most cherished memories of Bryant came with the "Redeem Team" in 2008.
最终，詹姆斯成为了科比的美国国家队队友，共同征战了2008年北京奥运会和2012年伦敦奥运会。詹姆斯表示，他对于科比最珍贵的记忆就是一起为08年的那只“救赎之队”效力。
James said he already checked the Cavs' schedule to circle the final two chances he'll get to play Bryant (Feb. 10 at home, March 10 on the road).
詹姆斯说，他已经查看了骑士队的赛程表，并把他与科比最后两次的交手机会在上面圈了起来。（骑士主场2月10日，客场3月10日）。
"I think it'll be very emotional and very fun," James said. "Obviously I want to win and he wants to win, too. But some things about that will be much bigger than a win or a loss....just to be able to see him and know it's his last go-round."
“我想到时一定会是非常令人动容也非常有趣的，”詹姆斯说。“我肯定想赢得比赛，他也一样。但是那时会有比输赢更重要的事情，那就是能够看着他，和他最后交一次手。”