Snoop Dogg is calling for the NBA to come together to honor the life of Kobe Bryant in a post-All-Star game tribute less than a month after the late basketball icon was killed in a helicopter crash alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other victims on Jan. 26. Tagging the NBA in a screenshot of a text message he shared to Instagram Saturday, the rapper wrote, “It’s only right K. B 8/24.”
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“Snoop! Thanks for today bro,” the original text message from an unknown sender reads. “Yeah I think the NBA should rent the staple center after NBA Allstar break and do the tribute funeral where every nba team can show up!! We have like 3 days free after allstar weekend!”
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The All-Star games kick off Friday, Feb. 14 and wrap up two days later on Feb. 16, so Snoop’s proposed tribute date would fall a full week ahead of the current tribute ceremony planned for Feb. 24 at the Staples Center.
Los Angles Mayor Eric Garcetti first announced plans to honor Bryant and the other victims of the crash — Alyssa Altobelli, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Payton Chester, Sarah Chester, Christina Mauser and Ara Zobayan — last week, before the date was officially announced.
“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 said at the time.
“We don’t have that date finalized but we’ve been talking every day to the Lakers, and most importantly, to [Bryant’s wife Vanessa] as well,” he continued. “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.”
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