Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced plans to honor Los Angeles Lakers Legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year old daughter Gianna and the other seven victims who were killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday. Garcetti told reporters that an event is being discussed, but they have yet to set a date.
“There will absolutely be a memorial to mark the contributions of this incredible man and not only him, but to commemorate the loss of his daughter and all the other families that were there,” Garcetti, 48, said Thursday, according to KTLA. “We don’t have that date finalized but we’ve been talking every day to the Lakers, and most importantly, to [Bryant’s widow, Vanessa] as well.”
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“I think one message that I would say is this is not just about a man who was a basketball player, this is about a father, this is about a leader, this is about a filmmaker, this is about an artist, this is about somebody who was so much more than just how he was on the court,” he added.
Not only did the death of Bryant and the other eight victims rock L.A., but it also impacted the entire world as millions mourned the losses. The Lakers will return to action on Friday and it will be their first game for the squad since the helicopter crash. The Staples Center, the home of the Lakers, has been a place for Bryant fans to mourn and pay tribute.
“He was the most feared man in the league for an entire generation, and the influence is profound league-wide, basketball-wide, community-wide, worldwide, Lakers family-wide and his influence will be felt forever,” Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said.
With the loss of Bryant, Vogel said the team has become closer than ever before.
“It’s just strengthened what we’ve felt all year about our current group, which is we’ve become a family in a very short time,” Vogel added. “And it’s something you talk about in the NBA with your teams, but this group in particular has really grown to love each other very rapidly. And we understand the importance and the opportunity that we have this year, and this has just brought us closer together.”
Bryant was a member of the Lakers from 1996-2016. He led the team to five NBA titles and was named an All-Star 18 times.
