What an honor it was to sit down with my former high school classmate Robert Mora, who has become one of the biggest names in sports photography. This guy grew up hustling on the streets of Northeast LA's Eagle Rock and El Sereno neighborhoods before getting accepted to the prestigious Pasadena Art Center. At just 19 years old, he landed a gig as the official photographer for the LA Lakers during the Kobe-Shaq era. Talk about being in the right place at the right time.

Robert has taken some of the most iconic shots in NBA history. Who could forget that locker room photo of a soaking wet Kobe holding the Larry O'Brien trophy in the shower after winning a championship? Slam Magazine recently voted that the most iconic sports photo of the decade. But Robert's work goes way beyond Kobe and the Lakers. His portfolio is stacked with legendary images of the greats. The man has won more awards than I can count.

These days Robert serves as the chief photographer for the LA Galaxy, but his work will forever be engrained as part of Lakers lore. He took advantage of an opportunity of a lifetime at 19 years old and built it into an unmatched career shooting basketball superstars. Robert's journey from the streets of LA to the locker rooms of the NBA's elite is inspiring. It shows that with relentless work ethic, unwavering focus, and an obsession with mastering your craft, you can achieve greatness. Much respect to my guy Robert Mora. His photography will be remembered forever.