LOS ANGELES — Newly acquired Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett made his first public appearance in the city Saturday, delivering the honorary first pitch before the Los Angeles Dodgers faced the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium on June 6, 2026.
Garrett, obtained in a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns, arrived wearing a T-shirt depicting Lakers icon Kobe Bryant in a Dodgers cap. Speaking on SportsNet LA, the former No. 1 overall pick explained his long-standing admiration for Bryant.
“I’ve had love for Kobe since I was a kid,” Garrett said. “I remember playing NBA Jam and choosing the Lakers because I was such a big Kobe fan. I used to wear the short fro just like him. The Mamba Mentality and the way he treated every game—he never took it for granted. I’ve tried to treat my career and my life the same way.”
The 28-year-old pass rusher is coming off a season in which he set the single-season sack record for Cleveland and earned a second Defensive Player of the Year award. Now on a Rams roster widely viewed as a Super Bowl favorite, Garrett steps into a market where championships are expected.
Support across Los Angeles’ sports landscape quickly followed his arrival. Lakers forward LeBron James, who developed a friendship with Garrett during their overlapping years in Cleveland, welcomed the defensive star to Southern California on social media.
Garrett’s ceremonial toss and tribute to Bryant marked his first on-field moment in the city that hopes to witness his next quest for a championship.
Source: LakersNation.com
