Currents News Staff
An emotional, and at times joyful celebration of life was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Feb. 24, for Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, almost one month after the died in a helicopter crash with seven friends.
More than 20,000 fans, friends, and family gathered to say goodbye to one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Kobe Bryant, and his 13-year old daughter Gianna.
“I don’t think any of us could have imagined this,” said host Jimmy Kimmel. “Everywhere you go, you see his face, his number. Gigi’s face, Gigi’s number.”
Many of Bryant’s former Los Angeles Lakers teammates were in the audience, with the team’s general manager giving a touching tribute to Mamba.
“Kobe the best friend, Kobe the father, and Kobe the husband,” is how Rob Pelinka described the star player.
Kobe’s wife of 18 years, Vanessa, gave an emotional tribute to Gigi, and Kobe, the M.V.P. of “girl dads.”
“Gigi would have most likely become the best player in the WNBA,” she said. “She would have made such a difference.”
“I couldn’t see him as a celebrity, nor just an incredible basketball player,” she said of Kobe. “He was my sweet husband, the beautiful father of our children. He was mine.”
“In the game of basketball, in life as a parent, Kobe left nothing in the tank,” said NBA star Michael Jordan. “He left it all on the court.