As far as public knowledge is concerned, Kobe Bryant and Lonzo Ball have yet to connect on the court. And it’s not as though the Black Mamba hasn’t offered his services to the Crown Prince of Chino Hills as other young players (i.e. Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum) have sought the NBA legend’s basketball counsel.

During a recent episode of “The Sidelines with Evan Daniels” podcast, Drew Hanlen, Tatum’s long-time skills trainer, relayed details from a workout and film session between Bryant and the No. 3 pick in the 2017 NBA draft. Per Hanlen, the Mamba was so impressed by Tatum’s ability to mirror his moves that he wondered aloud whether the Purple and Gold had made the right choice with their No. 2 pick last year.

“We actually showed Kobe yesterday and he was like, ‘Why didn’t the Lakers draft him?’, which was pretty funny, after seeing that,” Hanlen said.

Hanlen added that Tatum “idolized” Bryant growing up, and that he and the All-Rookie performer meticulously studied Kobe’s moves, including his signature jab step. Ball, on the other hand, has been clear, time and again, that his favorite player was (and still is) LeBron James.

It’s understandable, then, that Kobe might wish his favorite team had instead taken Tatum. Though Bryant can probably appreciate Zo’s preternatural passing ability and nose for the ball on both ends of the floor, he can see in Tatum a more striking mirror image of his own game and the greatness it precipitated.

Does that mean the Mamba is down on Ball? That seems harsher than what Hanlen relayed. We’ll have to wait and see what, if anything, Kobe adds to the conversation about these two youngsters as their careers progress—and especially when the Lakers and Celtics match up in the years to come.