IT FEELS so long ago since the untimely demise of Kobe and Gianna Bryant.
Since the father-daughter pair were killed in a California helicopter crash in January 2019, the world was upended by the coronavirus crisis. The team to which Kobe devoted his entire career has gone through a bubble championship and a current rejiggering, bringing in Russell Westbrook — who, the former Wizards star revealed, once spoke with Bryant about playing for the Lakers.
August 23 would have been Kobe’s 43rd birthday. Many athletes posted their own tributes to the late superstar, who continues to exert an outsize influence on basketball and beyond.
'Amor Eterno': Kobe's widow posts a heartbreaking message to her late husband
Naomi Osaka posts a captionless picture of the NBA great
So, too, did new Lakers teammate Carmelo Anthony
Kobe’s team kicked off a series of Black Mamba tribute posts with this birthday greeting
Kobe’s home stadium reminded fans: #MambaForever
Dodgers commentator Vin Scully posts a different kind of Kobe moment
Here’s another rare Kobe moment
NBA 2K posts a pensive screenshot of the in-game Kobe
Ice Cube’s son, actor O’Shea Jackson, posted multiple Kobe-related tweets
Game salutes game
Zayn Malik wears a baller band to honor Gianna Bryant
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