Jan. 26 will be a day that Los Angeles Lakers and basketball fans will remember forever because of the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant and seven others due to a helicopter crash.
The news shocked the world and four years later the NBA continues to mourn Bryant’s loss. Several members of the league paid their respects to Bryant and his family, while people like Trae Young revealed he would have loved to team up with the Black Mamba.
During his his peak, Bryant was a fierce competitor who could score almost at will despite defenses keying in on him. Bryant still holds the second-highest scoring game in NBA history with 81 points, though today’s stars have made a run at his feat.
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic came close to surpassing Bryant as he dropped 73 points in a win against the Atlanta Hawks. Doncic’s career performance came on Bryant’s death anniversary and he acknowledged how special of a moment it was for him, via Landon Thomas of Mavs Fan For Life:
“It’s amazing, man,” Doncic said. “It’s very special. We all love Kobe, man. It was a big tragedy, I can’t believe it’s been four years already. So it’s special, you know, to feel on the same day. But obviously, I wish he was here.”
Doncic never got the chance to play against Bryant because he didn’t enter the league until 2018, but the two shared a moment at a Lakers game several years ago. Like Bryant, Doncic loves to crush his opponents and relishes playing on the road.
The league seemed to pay homage to Bryant all week considering some of the high-scoring games that occurred. While Doncic had the most points, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker and Karl-Anthony Towns all had scoring outbursts reminiscent of Bryant himself.
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been four years since Bryant died, but his spirit and legacy continues to live on in the next generation of players. Doncic’s recent performance would’ve made Bryant proud and he and the rest of the world surely miss the Lakers icon.
Darvin Ham discusses impact Kobe Bryant had on him
Bryant was an inspiration to countless people during his playing days because of how he approached his profession. Head coach Darvin Ham got the opportunity to work with Bryant for a few years as a Lakers assistant and he discussed the kind of impact the Hall of Famer had on him and his career.
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