Derek Carr is a huge Kobe Bryant fan and is planning to honor his idol this season.
The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback told reporters on Tuesday that he is planning to wear an arm sleeve this season to honor Kobe, who wore one when he played.
“What would be a cool way to honor Kobe Bryant? He always wore an arm sleeve on his arm. I was like, ‘Well, I can’t wear one on my right arm, so I’ll wear one on my left arm,'” Carr said.
Carr says he even developed a personal relationship with Bryant that influenced him:
“He just meant so much to me. Then, when I got to know him. Then, he followed me on Twitter, that blew my mind. That was the day of my life. Just getting to know him, talk to him, have conversations with him, just what he meant to me as an athlete. The Mamba Mentality is trying to be the best version of yourself every day. I have the big old poster in my office, my weight room now with that Mamba Mentality mantra on it. It’s just a way to honor him, so I’ll wear it all year. The only reason is to honor him and just what he meant to me as a kid growing up.”
Carr grew up in Fresno, California, a few hours north of Los Angeles. That was close enough for him to become a huge fan of Bryant, which has carried throughout the years, including during Carr’s professional career.
The 29-year-old quarterback is entering his seventh NFL season. He passed for 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions last year, but is facing competition at quarterback from Marcus Mariota.
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