To kick off NBA All-Star Sunday night, the folks behind the broadcast at TNT enlisted Dr. Dre to produce a song and video package paying tribute to late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. The former NWA member did not disappoint and created something memorable for fans, with a little help from Gibson Hazard and Jack Bannon.
The video stands different from the tributes we’ve seen for Bryant in the past few weeks. It’s raw, bumping, and shows the ferocity that the Lakers star had on the court. It also follows some of his bigger moments, pulling them all together for one energetic start to Sunday’s game.
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The video was followed by a passionate speech by Lakers legend, Magic Johnson to kick off the emotional portion of the NBA’s All-Star tribute to the fallen icon.
“We’ll never see another basketball player quite like Kobe, scoring 81 points in one game, scoring 60 points in his last game, and then, winning five NBA championships. But what I’m really proud about when we think about Kobe Bryant… he was passionate about being a great father, husband, filmmaker — young man won an Oscar — so we all are hurting,” he said. “This is a tough time for the whole NBA family, and if I can get you all to rise right quick.”
This led into an 8-second moment of silence and moved into Jennifer Hudson’s performance. The former American Idol contestant stopped the show dead and brought out a lot of emotions for those in attendance and watching back home.
Bryant was killed on Jan. 26 along with his daughter Gianna and 7 others when the private helicopter they were flying in crashed in Calabasas, California. The news shocked the world, extending far beyond the NBA and revealing just how much Bryant had touched the world through his career and post-retirement.
NBA All-Star Weekend has been full of tributes to the fallen icon, including Dwight Howard’s throwback dunk during All-Star Saturday Night and Queen Latifah’s performance that covered Stevie Wonder’s “Love’s In Need of Love Today.”
The game itself will also pay tribute to Bryant and his daughter by placing their numbers on the jerseys of the players, a patch for all the victims of the helicopter crash on every jersey, and the MVP trophy being renamed after Bryant.
A public memorial for Bryant will be held on Feb. 24 at Staples Center.
