A month after the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, a final tribute was paid to them at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The greatest players in the NBA have come together to celebrate the sporting and personal career of the Black Mamba.
NBA legend Michael Jordan could not hold back his tears. In a vibrant tribute to his former opponent Kobe Bryant, the basketball player told how their rivalry had turned into a friendship. “Kobe was a very close friend. He was like my little brother, “said the former Chicago Bulls player.” By getting to know him, I sought to be the best of the big brothers for him. “Alongside him, some 20,000 anonymous and one audience of NBA stars and all walks of life were present, Monday, February 24, at Staples Center, the hall of the Los Angeles Lakers, to pay a final tribute to Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, who died on January 26 in a crash of ‘helicopter.
The whole NBA family was present for this public farewell: the current Lakers team, LeBron James, at the head, but also, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Phil Jackson, Pau Gasol, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, Tony Parker, Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers, Stephen Curry, James Harden, not to mention League boss Adam Silver. The tribute began with a video broadcast on the giants of the screen returning to Bryant’s sporting and personal history before Beyonce sang her two hits “XO” and “Halo”.
After which, she looked up there towards Kobe, whose shirts sit enthroned on the ceiling. February 2020, a symbolic date. Kobe Bryant wore the number 24 jersey for the Lakers, while his daughter, a promising young player, played with number 2. “He was the most incredible husband” Celebrities of music – Kanye West, Jennifer Lopez, Snoop Dogg – from cinema – Spike Lee – and television, as host Jimmy Kimmel, were also present at this ceremony. They all stood up and were moved to tears when Vanessa Bryant spoke, her throat tightened with grief.
About Gianna, she said: “We won’t be able to see GG go to high school with Natalia. I can’t tell her how beautiful she is on her wedding day. I’ll never see my little girl walk down the aisle again, dancing with her dad. ”She probably would have become the best player in the WNBA [NBA Women’s Championship, Ed]. She would have made a huge difference in women’s basketball.
GG was determined to change the way everyone views women in sport, “she added. Kobe” has been everything to me since I was 17 and a half, “she said.
“I was his first girlfriend, his first love, his wife, his best friend, his confidante and her protector. He was the most incredible husband.”
“We really had an incredible love story. We loved each other with our whole being. Two perfectly imperfect people making a beautiful family and raising our sweet and incredible daughters. Kobe was the dad’s MVP, ”she said. Kobe “was everything to me since I was 17 and a half,” she said. “I was his first girlfriend, his first love, his wife, his best friend, his confidante and her protector. He was the most incredible husband. ”
“We really had an incredible love story. We loved each other with our whole being. Two perfectly imperfect people making a beautiful family and raising our sweet and incredible daughters. Kobe was the dad’s MVP, ”she said. Kobe “was everything to me since I was 17 and a half,” she said. “I was his first girlfriend, his first love, his wife, his best friend, his confidante and her protector. He was the most incredible husband. ”
“ We really had an incredible love story. We loved each other with our whole being. Two perfectly imperfect people making a beautiful family and raising our sweet and incredible daughters. Kobe was the dad’s MVP, ”she said. Two perfectly imperfect people making a beautiful family and raising our sweet and incredible daughters. Kobe was the dad’s MVP, ”she said. Two perfectly imperfect people making a beautiful family and raising our sweet and incredible daughters. Kobe was the dad’s MVP, ”she said.
A complaint filed by his widow One month after the tragedy, the whole city mourns the Lakers star. Buses announce between two stops “RIP Kobe” (“Rest in Pais Kobe”) and portraits of Bryant father and daughter are displayed on giant panels with the caption “8 24 FOREVER THE ONE”. Kobe Bryant, 41, daughter Gianna, 13, and 7 others lost their lives in the helicopter crash northwest of Los Angeles, on a moving farewell day, Vanessa Bryant filed a lawsuit against the helicopter company and the rights holders of pilot Ara Zobayan, who also died in the tragedy.
