There is not a person who doesn’t remember where they were when they saw the tragic news of the passing of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Bryant, and seven others on Jan. 26, 2020. The news sent shockwaves across the world and extended beyond the sports world as Kobe truly touched and impacted so many in all walks of life.
Three years later and it still doesn’t feel real that Bryant is no longer with us on this earth, but his legacy continues to live on. His family continues to thrive while players around the NBA continue to pay homage to him regularly, and that was certainly the case on the third anniversary of his passing.
Lakers legends such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, and current NBA stars like Kyrie Irving, Alex Caruso and Jayson Tatum paid their respects to the late, great Kobe Bryant three years to the day that he left this earth:
Remembering Kobe 3 years later in front of @thekiaforum @Lakers pic.twitter.com/CYByW4ksFx
— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (@kaj33) January 26, 2023
Every time I speak I acknowledge Kobe and honor his memory by having the crowd crowd clap 8 times and point up to heaven. He is so loved and missed here in LA and around the world! ???️
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) January 27, 2023
Rest Peacefully ??♾❤️
Kobe Bryant
Gianna Bryant
John Altobelli
Keri Altobelli
Alyssa Altobelli
Sarah Chester
Payton Chester
Christina Mauser
Ara Zobayan— Hélà (@KyrieIrving) January 26, 2023
Kobe’s legacy lives on ??@ACFresh21 | #BullsKicks pic.twitter.com/MWTe4PfjRp
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 26, 2023
Jayson Tatum rocking the purple arm band to honor Kobe Bryant ? pic.twitter.com/iH6jhhd6T8
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) January 27, 2023
Every day…for 3 yrs. Avoiding that rabbit hole of sadness by focusing on the good times & what I’ve learned from you
– live life w/ no regrets
– embrace challenges
– create your own opportunities
– stay hungry
Miss you & Gigi always. Love you forever??#MambaForever #kobe https://t.co/AWcQDPAwKW— Judy Seto (@judyseto) January 27, 2023
Kareem posting a video outside of The Forum, where Bryant’s NBA career began with the Lakers is a beautiful touch while Magic having fans clap eight times is a wonderful way to remember Kobe. It is clear that the relationships he formed were deeper than just basketball.
It is well known that Kobe and Irving were extremely close and spoke regularly, and Tatum was one of the last young NBA stars to be able to work with the Lakers legend. Caruso was on the Lakers at the time of Kobe’s passing and it is well-documented how emotional that time was for the franchise.
Judy Seto worked with Bryant for years as a trainer and physical therapist and shared an awesome message that she learned from him over the years.
One thing that is for sure is that the memory and legacy of Kobe Bryant will never go away. Ten, 20 and 30 years into the future, the world will still vividly and fondly remember everything that Bryant accomplished and stood for.
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