As friends, family and fans reeled this week following Kobe Bryant’s untimely death Sunday in a helicopter crash, a disaster that also claimed the lives of his daughter Gianna and seven other people, LeBron James took to Instagram to express his shock and grief over the death of his fellow basketball legend and the “friendship/bond brotherhood we had.” Now, on Friday, ahead of the L.A. Lakers’ first game after Bryant’s death, LeBron turned to Instagram once again to post a photo of his new tattoo, a tribute to Bryant’s serpentine nickname, Black Mamba, coiled around the two numbers he wore while playing for the team.

“My brother,” James wrote under the photo, the second of two, the first being a photo of the pair courtside. “#Mamba4Life #RIPKobe #RIPGiGi.” The Lakers return later this evening, Friday, to play the Portland Trail Blazers at 7:30PST/10:30EST.

LeBron James Debuts Kobe Bryant ‘Black Mamba’ Tattoo Tribute