Magic Johnson Kimmel

Jimmy Kimmel Live!/YouTube

Magic Johnson on Tuesday reminisced about the one time he played against Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash Sunday.

Johnson said on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" that despite being friends, they played against each other just once in a one-on-one practice game in 1998.

"He got so mad at me because I called foul on every play ... I was older and he was in his prime, killing me, so I was like I got to cheat, I got to do something," Johnson said.

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Magic Johnson on Tuesday joked about the one time he played basketball against Kobe Bryant and had to cheat to win some points.

Following Bryant's death in a helicopter crash Sunday, Johnson reminisced about the one-on-one practice game against the Lakers star on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" after the host Jimmy Kimmel brought out a photo of the pair taken in 1998.

"We actually one time played one-on-one, and he got so mad at me because I called foul on every play," Johnson told Kimmel.

When Bryant last appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," he too remembered the time the two Lakers players finally went head-to-head.

Kimmel played back the 2018 clip, in which Bryant joked: "He called every single foul, even ones that weren't there!"

kobe bryant

Jimmy Kimmel Live!/YouTube

After Johnson laughed through the flashback, Kimmel asked him whether Bryant's story rang true.

"Of course, I was older and he was in his prime, killing me, so I was like I got to cheat, I got to do something," Johnson said.

Johnson and Bryant are considered two of the greatest Lakers players of all time, and Johnson told Kimmel they idolized each other.

"Every night you came to Staples Center, you knew you were going to see something special, something great, something you'd never seen in your life, and that was Kobe Bryant," Johnson said.

Bryant was killed along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning.

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Johnson uploaded numerous photos in a tribute post for Bryant on Instagram shortly after his death was announced.

"I'm in disbelief and have been crying all morning over this devastating news that Kobe and his young daughter, Gigi have passed away in a helicopter crash," Johnson captioned the post.

"Laker Nation, the game of basketball and our city, will never be the same without Kobe."

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