January 26, 2020, was a sad day for the NBA and for Los Angeles Lakers fans across the world. Kobe Bryant, one of the more decorated players in the league and a franchise icon, died in an unfortunate helicopter crash with his 13-year-old daughter Gigi Bryant.
The casualties also included baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri, and daughter Alyssa, Payton Chester and her mother Sara, basketball coach Christina Mauser, and the pilot, Ara Zobayan.
And while it’s been three years since his death, Lakers and the Black Mamba fans are not yet over the news. They took to social media to pay their respects to the late legend, and the responses showed how they couldn’t imagine a world without Kobe.
News of the five-time NBA champion’s death was broken first by TMZ and the LA Times. Bryant died in the crash that occurred around 10 a.m. local time amid foggy conditions in the hills overlooking Calabasas.
His memorial had all the NBA stars paying a rich tribute and was witnessed by people across the globe.
Still doesnโt feel real. I cried my eyes out yo ๐๐ https://t.co/oiNFn2JDh8
— ๐ถeo ๐ซ ๐ซค (@VlxXan) January 26, 2023
๐ rest in peace https://t.co/9dY2SUrfXa
— BADKARMA (@BADKARM26703318) January 26, 2023
https://twitter.com/BigAhkPaperwork/status/1618605354539192320
RIP ๐๏ธ
Gigi was going to be the best player in Bryant family history
Kobe's is still the most refined-yet-versatile offensive skillset that i, personally, have ever witnessed https://t.co/NfEDELzcrC
— The Gang Goes to Hell (@RumhamFrank) January 26, 2023
Its been three years already? ๐๐#Kobe https://t.co/0Egp9rfTxA
— JohnMarston | NeverOutlawAgain (@WohnWarston) January 26, 2023
https://twitter.com/Welsh_Boyy/status/1618597599061381120
RIP still doesnโt feel real some days! ๐๐พ๐ค https://t.co/3COONQhDG5
— Full-Time Dame ๐ฐ (@DP_NFL) January 26, 2023
Everybody who loves hoops remembers exactly where they were when they first heard about thisโฆ and several hours of hoping that it was a hoax. RIP to all of those who lost their lives that day ๐๏ธ https://t.co/9b7qqIGp4z
— Scott ๐ (@ScotttyPimpin) January 26, 2023
– I'll never forget watching this news break live on Twitter. It felt like the entire world just stopped. https://t.co/dEcf83FThu
— โ
SwaggRunEmDownโ
โฟ๐ต๐ธ (@Celticsfan494) January 26, 2023
Still doesnโt feel real https://t.co/L3VeAjSLAw
— Jarrett C (@cooperjarrett96) January 26, 2023
The saddest Sunday of my adult life. I am a father of daughters at the time they were 3&4 years old. I remember watching Kobe in HS on espn and then he took Brandy to his Prom. I just cried and held my daughters all day. It took me 2 and half years to come back to twitter. https://t.co/6TN9x4L84y
— โLying SzN Is Overโ (@theprogrampod) January 26, 2023
Safe to say, the world was plunged into grief following his death and continues to grieve to this day. Kobe had a stellar career as a Laker, winning everything with them. His 81-point explosion against the Toronto Raptors is still the highest-scoring game by a player in the 21st century.
LeBron James Thought His Teammates Were Joking About Kobe Bryant’s Death
LeBron James was grief-stricken when he took the stage to pay his respects to his friend and brother, and in his tribute, said he thought that his teammates were kidding when they told him about Bryant’s death.
James and Bryant shared a special friendship. They bonded as teammates for the USA at the Olympics in 2008 and 2012, something the former acknowledged was a dream come true. He was a huge Kobe fan in high school and was even once gifted a pair of sneakers from Bryant that he wore despite them being a size smaller.
His teammate Anthony Davis later told ESPN about how a napping James didn’t believe the news that Bryant was killed in the crash. Dwight Howard told Davis the bad news, and he relayed the news to James.
โAnd I just like, start shaking Bron, like, โWake up! Wake up!โ I remember the first thing Bron said to me was, โMan, yโall stop playinโ โ like, stop playing with me. โAnd Iโm trying to get on the internet. And Dwight, like, you can see him start crying. He was like, โItโs true.’โ
The season that year was different, especially with the Coronavirus pandemic screeching sports to a grinding halt. But the Lakers won the Championship that season and dedicated it to the late icon.
From our end, rest easy, Kobe. And our prayers and wishes to your family.
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