At the evening of tribute to Kobe Bryant and his daughter, the tears of Michael Jordan

Text by: RFI Follow

In the presence of a bed of stars, a last public tribute was paid Monday, February 24 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in Kobe and Gianna Bryant, who died in a helicopter accident on January 26.

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02/24/2020. The day was not chosen at random. It refers to the 20 NBA seasons that Kobe Bryant played with the Los Angeles Lakers, number 24 in his purple and gold jersey, and number 2 that his daughter Gianna sported on his own. Almost a month to the day after the helicopter crash that cost them their lives , some 20,000 anonymous and a crowd of stars gathered this Monday at the Staples Center for a final public tribute to the legend of the Lakers and his daughter.

" My dear friend. You were like a little brother. When Kobe died, part of me died. From today, I will live with memories, knowing that I had a little brother. I tried to be there in every way possible. Please rest in peace little brother, ”said, in tears, Michael Jordan, whose Kobe Bryant has often been presented as the heir.

“As I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be.”

Michael Jordan on Kobe Bryant. pic.twitter.com/dTSp7VDosP

Like the greatest basketball player of all time, the whole family of the NBA was present for this farewell: the current Lakers team, LeBron James at the head; Coach Phil Jackson, under whose command Bryant has won five NBA titles; other LA legends like Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; without forgetting Bill Russell, Elgin Baylor, Tim Duncan, Gregg Popovich, Dwyane Wade, Tony Parker, Stephen Curry, James Harden and the boss of the League Adam Silver.

► Also read: Kobe Bryant: a virtuoso obsessed with basketball and victory

Shaquille O'Neal also spoke, managing to raise smiles by evoking his relationships with who was his " best enemy " within the Lakers in their hectic conquest of three rings of NBA champion, before mutual respect and the friendship does prevail. " Yes, sometimes, like immature children, we quarreled. We fought, taunted or insulted ... Make no mistake, people thought we were on bad terms, but when the cameras were off, he and I winked at each other , "said the giant .

Other music celebrities, Kanye West, Jennifer Lopez, Snoop Dogg; film, Spike Lee; and television host Jimmy Kimmel, master of ceremonies, were also on the walls. Everyone stood up, moved to tears like the anonymous 20,000, when Vanessa Bryant spoke, her throat tied with sorrow. " We won't be able to see GG go to high school with Natalia," she said of Gianna. I can't tell her how beautiful she is on her wedding day. I will never again see my little girl walking down the aisle, dancing with her father . ” “ She would probably have become the best player in the WNBA. She would have made a huge difference to women's basketball. GG was determined to change the way everyone views women in sport, ”she added.

Kobe " was everything to me since I was 17 and a half, " she said later. "I was his first girlfriend, his first love, his wife, his best friend, his confidante and her protector. He was the most incredible husband (...) and the dad's MVP , "she said.

The tribute, which concluded with performances by Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera, began with a video broadcast on giant screens recounting Bryant's sporting and personal history, before Beyoncé sang her two XO hits and Halo . After which, she looked up there in the direction of Kobe, whose shirts 8 and 24 are enthroned on the ceiling.

Alicia Keys performs her rendition of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata at Kobe & Gianna's Celebration of Life. pic.twitter.com/yzPY3lakWk

( With AFP)

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