Russell Westbrook has posted an emotional statement regarding the passing Kobe Bryant.

The star point guard took to Instagram to react to the death the man he deemed “a friend, a brother, a mentor,” and more:

“I’ve been stuck and not really knowing how to put all that I’ve been feeling into words over the past several days. I am devastated about the passing Kobe & Gigi, on every level. I met Kobe when I was 16 at UCLA playing against him in a pick up game. He played like it was the NBA finals. From that point on, I decided that I wanted to emulate his Mamba mentality. At the time, there was no name for it, but I recognized in him what I always felt in myself. He became a friend, a brother, a mentor, a teacher, he defended me, he believed in me, and he taught me how to weather the storm. I can go on and on, but I want to thank you for being my idol, & inspiration. I will pray for you and your family everyday just as I do my own. I love you Kobe. My heart and prayers also go out to the other families involved in last weeks accident. #RIPKobe #RIPGigi”

Westbrook grew up outside Los Angeles and played college ball for UCLA. Since then, he’s developed a close relationship with Kobe and his family. The two were teammates during the 2012 Summer Olympics as well as numerous all-star games.

Westbrook and the rest the Thunder take on the Cavs, Wednesday.