'He taught me to sign my own checks': Kobe Bryant's ex-LA Lakers teammate Lamar Odom posted an extended, emotional tribute to his 'teacher'

• Lamar Odom posted an extended tribute to his former LA Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant.
• Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven other died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
• Scroll down to read Odom's full tribute, which he posted to his Instagram on Sunday.
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Lamar Odom posted an extended and heartfelt tribute to Kobe Bryant on Sunday, following the death of his former LA Lakers teammate.

"He taught me so many things in life that were necessary on and off the court," Odom wrote in a post to Instagram.

"On the court he taught me how to carve out defenses and how to take my time. How to make winning my ultimate goal. Off the court he taught me to sign my own checks lol."

Read Odom's full, unedited tribute here:

• Read more:
• Gianna 'Gigi' Bryant, Kobe Bryant's daughter, also died in the tragic helicopter accident that killed her father
• NBA has no plans to cancel games after basketball icon Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash
• Kobe Bryant's last tweet before he died was to congratulate LeBron James on surpassing him for the NBA all-time scoring list
• Moments of silence were held at a Rockets-Nuggets game and at a Biden campaign event to honor NBA legend Kobe Bryant