Following Los Angeles Clippers practice on Wednesday, Kawhi Leonard spoke with the media on the Kobe Bryant subject.
In an almost chilling turn of events, Leonard knew Bryant’s pilot Ara Zobayan; and actually used him for helicopter commutes himself. Furthermore, Leonard was accustomed to using the same route as Bryant.
Kawhi called Kobe’s pilot, Ara Zobayan, a “good dude” and used him to fly to and from games. He also discussed if this gives him any pause to keep using helicopters. pic.twitter.com/ao82V555h8
— Andrew Greif (@AndrewGreif) January 29, 2020
First Leonard talks about how he came around on using this method of transportation in Los Angeles. Ironically, he spoke to Bryant about this method and the virtues to avoid LA traffic.
“I talked to him about it before our transition to playing in L.A.,” Leonard said after practice. “Just seeing how [he] got back and forth from Newport, and he said he was doing it for about 17 years or so.”
Then, Leonard went on to talk about not only Zobayan; but how he used the same program as Bryant in terms of traveling the city. Remember, with Leonard now playing at Staples Center as part of the Clippers; it would make sense that he use the same blueprint that Bryant did for so long.
“Yeah, same pilot, everything. The whole situation, this whole program, the setup, how [Bryant] was traveling back and forth was the same way I was getting here from San Diego. Great guy. Super nice. He was one of the best pilots,” Leonard said. “That is a guy who you ask for to fly you from city to city. It’s just surreal still. He will drop me off and say he is about [to] go pick up Kobe, [and] Kobe said hello. Or he’ll just be like, ‘I just dropped Kobe off, and he said hello.’ Vice versa. So it’s a crazy interaction. He’s a good dude, and I’m sorry for everybody.”
It still hasn’t sunk in yet, and it’s possible that being brought to think about mortality like this has Leonard thinking of his own life in a harrowing way. He also says he is unsure if he will travel by helicopter in the future, which is only normal at this juncture.
