LeBron James gave a heartfelt speech before the start of the NBA match between Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers in California.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 31: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers addresses the fans before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 31, 2020 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP
LeBron James gave an emotional tribute to Kobe Bryant and said Basketball is a ‘celebration of his life’, ahead of the NBA match between Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.
It was Lakers’ first game since their former player Kobe passed away in a helicopter crash last week. Taking to their official Twitter handle, Lakers shared the video of LeBron’s heartfelt speech with the caption, “Tonight we celebrate the kid that came here at 18, retired at 38, and became probably the best dad we’ve seen over the last three years.”
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LeBron was seen speaking with a heavy heart and he started saying, “I got something written down, but I will not read out of this, and I am going to say everything from my heart”.
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He further said, “This is a celebration of the 20 years of the blood, the sweat, the tears, the broken-down body, the getting down, sitting up, the countless hours, the determination to be as great as he could be.”
“Tonight we celebrate the kid that came here at 18 years of age. Retired at 38 and became probably the best dad you could have seen over the last three years,” he added.
The entire Lakers team were seen wearing either number eight or 24 jersey as those were the only two numbers that Kobe wore in his career with the Lakers. He became five-time NBA champion and 18-time All-Star during his 20-year long stay with the team.
According to reports, Bryant was on his way for a Basketball game of his daughter Gianna Bryant when the helicopter crashed in Calabasas of southern California, a suburb near Los Angeles. Those aboard the helicopter also included another player and parent.
Payton Chester, 13, Alyssa Altobelli, 13, and their coach, Christina Mauser, were among the nine individuals who died while en route to a basketball tournament held at the Mamba Sports Academy facility in Thousand Oaks, California, along with Kobe and Gigi. Payton’s mother, Sarah Chester, and both of Alyssa’s parents, Keri and John Altobelli, as well as the pilot, Ara Zobayan, all died.
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