Ahead of the Kobe Bryant celebration of life event on Monday, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James tweeted out a memorial, writing “2/24,” and immediately was asked by fans if he was attending the memorial service. Almost as soon as James posted the tweet, followers began inquiring as to his whereabouts, with one asking, “where R U king?” One other fan commented, “Was looking for u.”
Were you even there ?
— Curly | Liss 👑 (@_callmecurlyy) February 24, 2020
While fans had a tough time spotting James in the massive crowd, it has been reported that he was in attendance at the memorial, which featured speakers such as Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal.
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James previously addressed Bryant’s tragic death in a speech to Lakers’ fans during their first home game after the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven other people.
“Laker Nation, I would be selling y’all short if I read off this s—, so I’mma go straight from the heart,” James began, then throwing away the speech he’d prepared. “As I look all around this arena, we’re all grieving, we’re all hurting, we’re all heartbroken. But when we’re going through things like this, the best thing you can do is lean on the shoulders of your family and from Sunday morning all the way until the point – I had heard about Laker Nation before I got here last year about how much of a family it is – and that is absolutely what I’ve seen this whole week. Not only from the players, not only from the coaching staff, not only from the organization but from everybody.”
He continued: “Everybody that’s here is, this really, truly, truly a family, and I know Kobe and Gianna and Vanessa and everybody thank you guys from the bottom of their hearts as Kobe said, Tonight is a celebration. Kobe’s a brother to me. From the time I was in high school and watching him from afar to getting in this league at 18 watching him up close, all the battles we had throughout my career, the one thing that we always shared is that determination to just want to win and just want to be great, and the fact that I’m here now means so much to me.
“I want to continue along with my teammates to continue his legacy not only for this year but for as long as we can play the game of basketball that we love because that’s what Kobe Bryant would want,” James’ speech concluded. “So in the words of Kobe Bryant, Mamba out. But in the words of us, not forgotten. Live on brother.”
