The Los Angeles Lakers were back in Staples Center on Friday night to compete against the Portland Trail Blazers. Before the start of the game, R&B singer Usher Raymond opened the night with a rendition of gospel song “Amazing Grace” in honor of Kobe Bryant, who passed away earlier in the week in a helicopter crash that was carrying his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other individuals.
The tribute continued with footage of Kobe throwing basketball shots while a voiceover of his Mamba Mentality played in the background. The video explored his thoughts on determination and family.
Kobe and Gianna can be seen hugging and smiling at each other throughout the clip. Cheers resonated throughout the stadium as a violinist played his instrument and Kobe’s jerseys, No. 8 and No. 24, stood in the middle of the court.
The entire stadium blacked out. People’s cell phones lit the stadium while the names of all nine victims showed on the jumbotron.
With 24.2 seconds on the clock, the audience did a moment of silence for the late legend. The moment of silence was followed by the crowd chanting Kobe. Boyz II Men sung the national anthem.
As the camera panned to the Lakers, team members LeBron James and Anthony Davis embraced with tears falling down their eyes.
James had a few words to say to Laker Nation about his friend.
“I know at some point we will have a memorial for Kobe, but I look at this as a celebration tonight. This is the celebration of the 20 years of the blood, the sweat and the tears, the broken down body, the getting up and sitting down… Tonight we celebrate the kid that came here at 18 years of age, retired at 38 and became probably the best dad that we’ve seen over the last years. I want to continue, along with my teammates, to continue his legacy, not only for this year, but as long as we can play the game of basketball that we love ’cause that is what Kobe Bryant would want. So, in the words of Kobe Bryant, Mamba out. But, in the words of us, not forgotten.”
When each Laker was announced for the game, each player that came out was introduced as Kobe Bryant.
The fans went bananas, cheering and crying for the guy that continued the legacy and magic of great basketball carried by the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell.
Kobe Bryant will forever be a legend in the hearts of Laker Nation and every person who dreamed of picking up a ball and shooting for the stars.
