Kobe Bryant tells Kevin Durant to 'Be the Greatest' in shoe exchange

Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, right, smiles with Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant during an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Kyusung Gong/The Orange County Register via AP)

Retiring Lakers star Kobe Bryant and Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant had a little Christmas Eve (Eve) shoe exchange after their game Wednesday night.

It was a gesture of goodwill between NBA powerhouses, despite the Thunder embarrassing the Lakers in a 120-85 rout at Staples Center.

Durant confirmed that the shoe swap had occurred, though he joked to reporters, "Don't tell nobody ... I don't want to be looked at as a softie."

Bryant even scrawled a message to Durant before handing over the footwear: "To KD: Be the Greatest."

A nice message from one NBA great to the next.

H/t Bleacher Report.