Kobe Bryant – speech at ceremony retiring #6 and #24 – December 18, 2017 –
Shock gives way to numb gives way to loss – the news, only hours ago, that Basketball legend Kobe Bryant was among those killed in a Helicopter accident near Calabasas earlier today has left an entire city in a state of speechless grief.
According to the latest (as of 1:00 pm) report via ESPN:
“NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter were among five people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Bryant was 41.
Bryant was on his way to a travel basketball game with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant when the helicopter crashed, sources told Wojnarowski. Those aboard the helicopter also included another player and parent. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, there were no survivors of the crash. An investigation is ongoing.
Bryant was married to Vanessa Laine Bryant in 2001, and they had four daughters together. His father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, is also a former NBA player.
A moment of silence was held at the first NBA game of the day Sunday — the Nuggets’ contest against the Rockets in Denver.
Bryant transitioned into a post-basketball life that was far from retirement. He won an Academy Award in 2018, taking home the Oscar for the animated short, “Dear Basketball.” Bryant also created a children’s book series, inspired by his love for Harry Potter, which became a New York Times best seller.
Bryant’s death was first reported by TMZ.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin contributed to this report.
There are no words.
As way of a tribute and memory to the man and the legend, here is the short speech Kobe Bryant gave during the ceremony retiring Lakers Jersey #6 and #24 at the Staples Center on December 18, 2017. Special thanks to ESPN and the NBA.
