Kobe Bryant Celebration of Life: LeBron James Has Made Clear He Wants to Stop Being Asked About Lakers Legend

It’s been more than a month since Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna Bryant were killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26. While fellow Laker LeBron James has addressed the tragedy numerous times. However, on Sunday after the Lakers celebrated a victory over the Boston Celtics, James made it clear that he’s done talking about Bryant’s death in public situations.

“I don’t want to keep going back on it,” James told reporters according to ESPN. “I think it’s unfair and it’s unjust to his family, as they’re trying to move on,” James said. “We’re all trying to move on — but also know that he’s with us. His jersey is sitting in my locker right now. But it just puts me in a difficult mindset when I continue to harp on it. I’m trying to [stop], if you can respect that.”

On Tuesday, however, James did field one question about Bryant’s long relationship with Michael Jordan.

“It’s well documented how their relationship was,” James said. “Mike is always looked at as like [a] big brother to Kobe from the beginning. We’ve all seen that from the first time that they played in Chicago. So we all know that.”

Monday, Bryant and his daughter were eulogized at the Celebration of Life at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. While a number of noteworthy speakers and performers appeared, including a last-minute, thoroughly heartbreaking speech from Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, James was nowhere to be seen.

Hours after the celebration concluded, Lakers writer Dave McMenamin spoke with ESPN to speak about why he believed James didn’t make an appearance at the memorial. At least not a public one.

“I spoke to several members of the Lakers who were there today, and they didn’t see LeBron,” McMenamin explained. “Rich Paul and his agent told our Stephen A. Smith that ‘LeBron’s in his own space.’ Space could be somewhere away from Staples Center, it could be part of Staples Center.”

McMenamin also detailed a conversation he had with James less than a full week after Bryant’s death, which he called “was the toughest week of his life.”

“So, me knowing that it wouldn’t surprise me that he made a decision similar to yours to say: ‘Of course I’m devastated. Of course, I respect Kobe Bryant, I respect his family, I respect the Lakers. For me to be the best I can be for everybody else, maybe not be involved in that today.’”