The Golden State Warriors took on the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday and they had something special planned for the fans in attendance. In honor of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, every fan who attended the game received a special shirt that had the numbers 8, 24 and 2 on them. No. 8 and No. 24 were the numbers Bryant wore during his time with the Lakers and No. 2 was what his daughter Gianna wore for her basketball team, Team Mamba. Bryant and Gianna died in a helicopter crash along with seven other people outside the Los Angeles area on Jan. 26.
Together 💛 pic.twitter.com/A3UKvA6HTv
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 8, 2020
The reason the Warriors paid tribute to Bryant on Saturday was the fact they have been on the East coast for the last two weeks. With it being their first home game since the helicopter crash, the Warriors went all out to honor the Lakers legend and his daughter. Along with the shirts, the outdoor video board at the Chase Center displayed Bryant and the names of the victims in the crash. And Warriors star Steph Curry was seen wearing a Bryant No. 24 jersey.
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Warriors pay tribute to Kobe and Gianna Bryant and seven other victims of fatal helicopter crash pic.twitter.com/Opt9bleoFN
— KNBR (@KNBR) February 8, 2020
Stephen Curry pays tribute to Kobe Bryant as the @warriors host the @Lakers! #NBAonABC pic.twitter.com/QUdcQcCKCM
— NBA (@NBA) February 9, 2020
The entire NBA has paid tribute to Bryant in some way, shape or form. Last week, the Lakers held a special ceremony before their first home game since the accident. LeBron James spoke to the crowd and he gave an emotional speech.
“Kobe is a brother to me,” James said. “From the time I was in high school watching him from afar, to getting in this league at 18 and watching him up close, all the battles that we had throughout my career, the one thing that we always shared was that determination to just want to win, to just want to be great. The fact that I’m here now means so much to me. I want to continue, along with my teammates, his legacy. Not only for this year, but for as long as we can play this game of basketball that we love, because that’s what Kobe Bryant would want. So in the words of Kobe Bryant, ‘Mamba out.’ But in the words of us, not forgotten. Live on, brother.”
The city of Los Angeles will hold a public memorial service for all nine victims of the crash on Feb. 24 at the Staples Center.
