Kobe Bryant Celebration of Life Reportedly Delayed

The memorial service in honor of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and the seven other victims was expected to begin at 10 a.m. PT on Monday. However, CBS News has reported that there will be a delay. The information was provided during the live coverage of the memorial service in Los Angeles.

The reason for the delay was not made readily available following the news — although could be blamed on Los Angeles traffic — but the expectation is that the memorial service has been delayed by at least 30 minutes. There are still multitudes of Lakers fans filing into the Staples Center and searching for their seats in the crowded arena.

Despite the delay, the thousands in attendance at Staples Center will still be able to honor the memory of Bryant, his daughter, and the other victims. They will also avoid filing into the arena midway through the ceremony. No one wants to be late for this emotional event, and the delay will help them find seats prior to the start time.

Feb. 24, 2020, is a very emotional day for the fans of Bryant, Gianna, and the Los Angeles Lakers. The date of the memorial service coincides with the jersey numbers worn by the two basketball players, the length of Bryant's tenure with the Lakers, and the number of years that he was married to his wife, Vanessa Bryant.

Additionally, some fans noticed that the numbers in the month and day can be added together to equal 8, which was Bryant's first number with the Lakers.

With the celebration of life set to start in the coming hour, there are still questions remaining about what will happen during the ceremony. Will there be multiple speakers on hand to discuss Bryant's contributions made to the NBA? Will his former teammate in Shaquille O'Neal take some time to discuss their championship seasons or their relationship away from the court? Will Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan be in attendance?

The answers to these questions are unknown as of Monday morning, but there is no doubt in the minds of the Lakers fans that the ceremony will properly honor Bryant, Gianna, and the other victims. Bryant made a massive impact on the NBA and the entire world, and these contributions will be highlighted during the ceremony.

The celebration of life memorial service can be watched live through a variety of sources, including CBS News, ABC News Live, and NBA TV.

(Photo Credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images)