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Kobe and Gianna Bryant Remembered at Los Angeles Memorial Service l ABC News Live

Feb 27, 2020
Staples Center in Los Angeles Welcome from Tom Yama to ABC News special

live

coverage of the Kobe Bryant

memorial

celebrating a legend More than 250,000 fans have passed through the Staples Center where we are right now to honor the NBA great today 20,000 holders of tickets sold out The event will meet in the house that Kobe built and I invite you to look at your calendar right now February 24 20 22 February 24, 2020 the symbolic date for Kobe's wife, Vanessa Bryan, representative of his daughter Gianna, who also died and he wore that number when he played. basketball and 24 one of Kobe's numbers on the Lakers then 20 20 20 years on the Lakers 20 years married to Vanessa the mood is somber here and to be honest, it's a little sad but also electrifying to see what Kobe meant to this community.
kobe and gianna bryant remembered at los angeles memorial service l abc news live
The details of this ceremony are still a secret, we have no idea what to expect today, but like Kobe Bryant's work, we expect something special. You're watching a

live

aerial shot right now of the Staples Center, the place where Kobe Bryant helped make thousands of people legendary. Arriving today to say goodbye and pay tribute to Kobe, the NBA star and five-time world champion who along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash last month, today Los Angeles is in mourning and celebrating. the lives of all those who were lost as the investigation into this accident continues, as his tributes to the death have appeared around the world showing the impact he had not only in this game but also as a father, after leaving the professional basketball, the superstar did not slow down his time as a coach. the team of his daughters rotting children's books and making a documentary about the game he loved and which won him an Oscar.
kobe and gianna bryant remembered at los angeles memorial service l abc news live

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kobe and gianna bryant remembered at los angeles memorial service l abc news live...

Join me now with more information about Kobe's legacy. My ESPN colleague and skip host Rachel Nichols and Rachel. I know this has to be a difficult day. for you because when your career started, so did Kobe Bryant's and you spent a lot of that career covering him, yeah, absolutely, you know, he came on the scene when he was a high school student, he wasn't liked by a lot of the people that were around. in front of him in the NBA was an interesting dynamic, now we think of Kobe as the statesman, this presents part of the fabric of the NBA, but at the time a lot of people in the league thought of him as a punk kid who thought he could do it all and there was some reaction. here on the Lakers hazing his rookie year, people who thought they knew they used to drink beer in the locker room here after games, but he was 18 so they couldn't drink beer in the room when Kobe Bryant was there, so they thought Kobe Bryant is responsible for taking away our beer.
kobe and gianna bryant remembered at los angeles memorial service l abc news live
I mean, sometimes it was so specific so I didn't have the easiest entry and that was during my early days as a reporter, I was a young woman covering sports at a time when it wasn't as accepting as it thankfully is today. and I remember times when people wouldn't talk to me about really difficult things with stories and I came here to do a story about Kobe Bryant and, frankly, I was hoping that he would be the same one to brush me off. He didn't really give me time and he sat with me for 45 minutes and we sat on a bench and I'll remember it like it was yesterday, we just talked and he was very open about the experiences that he was having here at the difficult time. time during his first year in the league and at the end I was telling him a little bit about myself and what was difficult for me and he looked at me and just said, "You know what we're going to be fine and he said you don't know what's coming and I've repeated that story so many times over the years because it speaks to this incredible competence that he knew what he could do and that he was going to get ahead and, in his case, it didn't.
kobe and gianna bryant remembered at los angeles memorial service l abc news live
Is it true that we didn't know what would come? He evolved as a player and as a man he was able to have a career outside of basketball. Some have said this was the day he passed away, it was the saddest day in NBA history, how has he impacted the game this season? You think that in the future, look, it's part of everything you know, every game for a week or two after Kobe passed wasn't even about basketball, it was about Kobe and there are so many games now that are still like that, the Lakers are in a very strange position for the rest of this season because they go to other cities as visitors and teams want to take advantage of that since it is time to have their tribute to Kobe, so the Lakers have been part of multiple tributes to Kobe throughout the league for weeks and weeks, as if we were emotionally drawn to this, we had the all-star game that was completely dedicated to Kobe, in fact, the two teams, instead of the players using their own numbers, they used the number 24.
Kobe and number two for his daughter Gianna, we expect these NBA Finals to focus a lot on Kobe and then Kobe was scheduled to be inducted into the Hall of Fame this fall, which is kind of amazing when you think about it. in how close it was. It's just that we will never hear that speech, so they nominated an imposter posthumously. He's expected to be enshrined there, but that's also going to be over Kobe this fall, so it's a presence that looms over the entire league, the sport, and of course the city finally racially you know we don't know what to expect today, we think that will be something special.
Kobe deserves that and there are so many people who loved him within this league in the city all over the world, what are you going to be thinking? As you watch the ceremony today, I think about the power he had to affect the lives of so many different types of people. We're expecting some very important speakers today, very important artists, and that just speaks to how many different people from different walks of life felt that. Kobe was theirs. I mean, you can't really think about Los Angeles over the last two decades without thinking about Kobe Bryant.
Is there anyone you would think of acting specifically in Hollywood? That's a sign, right? It's Kobe who wore that name on his chest. You can't talk about Los Angeles without talking about Kobe and you can't talk about the structure of this country without talking about Kobe over the last two decades, he was always there for so many different people and I think that's what we'll see today , okay, Rachel Nichols, we thank you very much for that and we will be thinking of you today as we watch the coverage and also after the NBA live. Kobe Bryant enjoyed being a coach and coaching his daughter's basketball team.
I really felt like sports were an analogy for life. Here he is, in his own words, talking about his training and parenting philosophy. The way I share my knowledge of the game with my team in particular is simply through experience. I don't spend much time talking. to them about stories or the value of hard work, we just live it, we embody it and then it becomes something that they just develop into the habit of knowing their respect for the game, their respect for each other, these are things that we just do. and in doing so it becomes something that eventually becomes part of who they are as athletes and as young people and for us as coaches and as parents, our job is to try to spark that imagination within our children instead of putting them under a structure and saying : "okay, you have to make this many shots with that many shots, just go out there and have fun with it, okay, just be imaginative, I'll say give him the ball and I'll say, listen, you have 10 seconds left.
I'll make a counting down from 10 you know, making a game winning shot things like that I think it's extremely important yeah what we're here to do is help kids be better to teach them how to think the game to teach them out of the process together to help them improve as athletes so that they can feel more confident in themselves as people, that is what we are there for and it is important to find a coach who understands that, who understands the connectivity between life and sport. Sports is the biggest metaphor we have for life and it is important that we treat it as such so that Kobe Bryant is showing that there was life after basketball, it is something he worked hard at, he had a second act, he was possibly working on a third act and now that he's joining me, he's a co-host. from ESPN's first shots Steven Naismith Steven thank you so much for joining us, cool new Kobe, you covered him, he was a friend, what will be going through your mind today as you watch the ceremony, incredible sadness again, you know, meeting him and knowing how much .
I looked forward to the future knowing everything I had already accomplished championships, All-Star Game appearances, League MVP, two Olympic gold medals, all that was behind me, I had done it, I had conquered all the demons you know, real and He imagined it and his mentality was: I am 41 years old, I have a wonderful wife, I have a wonderful family, I have wonderful children and I have my whole life to look forward to and the only expectations I have to worry about are those that I put on my own. shoulders because I already beat what everyone else put on me so that was his mentality the last time I saw him which was New Year's Eve that's what we talked about and I knew what he was waiting for and enough to be here now, a month later, Noda gone, it's pretty devastating, you know, to explain something to our viewers, a lot of people watching us around the world today, our sports fans, all the Kobe fans, but there are also people who may not understand why so much people have come here 250,000 since he died 20,000 a sold out stadium I have covered many events I covered the death of Michael Jackson and the deaths of other famous people I don't know if I saw anything like that and a period of mourning for so long, what did it mean with that it was more than basketball, it was more about basketball which, obviously, for the basketball community, it was as much about that as anything else, because it doesn't matter what level of greatness you grant?
What you have inside you and what you exude off the court, the first order of business for athletes and people within the profession is to manage your affairs on the court. He clearly made it as successful as he was, but then he took a step back as well. and he reached out to help the gods in terms of his off-the-court efforts, some of the aspirations they may have had, what it would take to achieve their goals. I remember when he went to the Beijing Olympics in 2008. A lot of these guys were talking about branding and rising above the court and really solidifying a future for themselves that extended beyond the playing field, and he was constantly talking to them. that he was always willing to give God as support and would also train. with some of them in the offseason or coaching them and talking to them about the ins and outs of what it takes to be successful and a lot of guys realized that he was a willing teacher, a willing mentor, he was someone who felt like it was their mission to contribute to help them make the world a better place and then when you see it, particularly in this era, he was a little girl one day, he loved women's sports, particularly the WNBA, his daughter talked about being a star and becoming a almighty American at UConn before she was finally set on going to the WNBA and the way he accepted that and was willing to tutor her, there are so many other young women who somehow ascended to a land that people thought was designated only for the boys. he said no, not at all, this is my legacy and I loved every moment of it, so when you hear those kinds of stories and see evidence that he was actually living it, not just talking about it, it makes it that much more painful. that at 41 he was brilliant as he spoke six different languages ​​being as intelligent and accomplished as he was for him to have his whole life ahead of him if he left at 41 is just tragic Steven finally gets to that point he talked about what a man he is of the Renaissance, he was also incredibly disciplined, going out with the players but then waking them up at 5:00 a.m. m., he told them to make sure they were there practicing with him, do you remember any stories? just about his discipline, how he constantly lived a life that was always difficult where there is no particular story, it was his life, he was a guy that you know, you have a lot of people, the vast majority in the NBA, their season ends in the middle of path.
April because of the success that he enjoyed that usually ended at the end of May and in May and a lot of times just because he went to seven NBA Finals, won five, that was his life and then you have guys that would literally have their season at the end. . in April and they would start training out of season in the summer and whatever, and naked and their training. Kobe Bryant would take a week, two weeks off at most, even when he won the championship and he would be training and preparing for the next season. the next conquest because he knew that he was the marquee that we would go after him and he knew that he needed to be ready to live up to that, but it also applied to everything he did.
He called me on several occasions. What the hell are they? Are you still asleep why aren't you awake? You know, if he was sick, you know he called me or he texted me. Why the hell aren't you on TV? You have a job to do yeahIf it were me, you wouldn't accept me covering your ass. Get up, get ready to work. Eve wanted you to be at the top of your game even today as we sit here and talk, you know the Staples Center as a backdrop, getting ready to celebrate the life of Kobe Bryant. I remember I was telling my sister. the other day Kobe was saying whatever you believe in, you're not going to go in there, give me being on TV, that's what people expect, you have a job to do, you do your job, he was very, very, very important.
In that, that's what I remember. Very good Steven, thank you very much for your time. I appreciate that we will be thinking of you throughout the ceremony. Steven Naismith and today I spoke with ESPN.Senior rider Ramona Shelburne on the legacy Kobe leaves in the NBA Ramona, can you cover Kobe Bryant, we talked the night this happened, what does today mean to you? Well look, it's been a month since he passed away and it's just as shocking today as it was a month ago just like I still remember where I was how I heard who I called I remember calling you on the phone does it feel like yesterday?
I mean, I was driving from the crash site to Momba Academy in Thousand Oaks and you know, I like to know how to get there, but I had to put it somehow because my brain was so overloaded by the impact of this, so I guess that today is really a day in which this begins to be felt. It's real, it's starting to feel like there may be some acceptance, we've all processed a lot and you know, I know you know I was here the whole first week and it was like my family's Jewish right is when someone in our religion dies. like you sit shiva for them, you spend a week and just move around with your family and friends, share stories and talk about them, that's what Los Angeles has been doing for a month and that's what the world has been.
I did it for a month, but that whole first week here was like a bubble that we couldn't really get out of this whole Plaza. 250,000 people passed through this Plaza and packed up all the things to give to Bryant. family it took 37 boxes of shipping containers to fill it all, I mean, the magnitude of the pain that was felt in this city is enormous and I think it will be helpful to people today in how to contextualize it, I give some people. a little peace and some acceptance, you know, Ramona, tens of thousands of people came here to the Staples Center after this happened. 20,000 came today, blocked all the streets around Staples Center, but we've been driving and we've been watching. people on the Lakers team decorating their cars with Kobe memorabilia.
I don't want to say it's weird because you know how big sports are, but it kind of transcends sports, in no way does it have man, I mean, it was, so I just got. Lee, I admit he runs AEG, he runs the Staples Center and before they put this together, they looked at other similar events because there really isn't any other similar events. The closest thing they could find was when Princess died and you know, there were like three hundred thousand people on the streets of London when they buried her. I don't think any place they found would have been big enough.
I think there are so many people in Los Angeles around the world who want to be here. you could have filled the Coliseum, you could have filled the Rose Bowl, you could have filled all the streets, you could have filled the Staples Center at the Forum, any place you mention in Lausanne, you could have filled it and you know they had to make a decision about it . where he should be and the Staples Center, this is Kobe Bill's house, this is the last time I was here with him, his jerseys were being retired and you know, the last time was when he scored 60 points in his last game, it's perfect.
I wish everyone could be here because I think you know that's what people want to do, but I'm glad it's broadcast everywhere. I don't think many people are going to be at work today, especially not here finally. Ramona, can you remember your last conversation with him and what you talked about? Yeah, I actually saw him outside the Mob Academy and he was doing an event with young girls and you know the way she talked to him, so I just caught up like I just had my son, he had some months. I know he was maybe six and seven months old.
At that time he was showing photos to a baby. He was showing me photos of his daughters. And he was very proud of his daughters, not only. not just Gigi okay Natalia Bianca could break free like they like you we were just two parents showing each other pictures and that's what I think is the hardest part right now for me it's like I'm 40 he was 41 , as if we grew up. together, you know, I remember when he took Brandi to prom like I was in high school when that happened and it's like you see someone who has the same kind of trajectory in your life and I waited later and life had My own children and it was like he enjoyed my age like you couldn't imagine life before and I feel like Kobe waited later in his life to enjoy that family that he had built as well as the one he had created.
He was very happy the last time I saw him and I think that's what I'm going to hold on to. It's just knowing that he had a lot more to do, he had a lot more to say, but he was happy. My conversation today with Ramona Shelburne. from ESPN join me now with more information on what we can expect on today's

service

as my colleague TJ Holmes TJ. I say it, but we really don't know what to expect today. They have kept this very close to the chest and why not, right? There's not much to say, they were able to control the narrative and in fact everyone will be surprised to some extent to see what we see here, but of course all eyes are on Vanessa Bryant, will she appear?
If she does it, is she going to talk? Will the children be there? Will they go on stage? People are simply looking to embrace them in a meaningful way. She has not made a public appearance since the accident. Since that accident a month ago, she published some statements. Instagram, but everyone really wants to hug her but they want to see if she shows up today, all eyes on her will be on there, what we do know is that there is some symbolism between the ticket prices and also today's date. I'm going to say how they got it right on February 24, 2020, meaning 24 20 22 was the number Gianna used. 24, of course, the number that Kobe spent the last ten years of his career and then 20, he spent 20 years with the Lakers, so the symbolism is there. the tickets were at 24:02 and/or 224 dollars, so yeah, symbolism and numbers, all today and I know you saw it and you've been standing here, but the whole of downtown Los Angeles has been kind of a

memorial

since the accident I had. here all that week and the buildings with purple lights lit up in his name, but today everyone is surrounded, this place seems like everyone is hitting the center and Staples has a kind of collective hug, almost only in all the t-shirts, they seem like if they were here for a game.
There are almost people wearing their uniforms with their Kobe Bryant jerseys, but today is supposed to be a celebration and we're actually getting our first images inside Staples Center right now. We have a monitor here tej. I want you to take a look at it and you and it's kind of like what you said is a collective hug around the city of Los Angeles today when I came here it was somber it's sad but it's electrifying to see people in the year of Kobe be excited to show your support. and we saw that every time we came here, I mean, the memorials were huge.
Ramona was telling me that they filled 37 truckloads of memorabilia surrounding the Staples Center in honor of Kobe Bryant and I've been saying this all morning. but he transcended sports, he's someone he played with here, but people came to see him because they could forget about their lives for a moment, they can forget about any stress and Kobe, a champion, was going to win for them, he put on a show each. The night he understood that now we have to remember these great personalities and their great talent, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, true, they occupy these places, but right between those two, that era was owned by Kobe Bryant, it is not just because his talent but because of his charisma that smiles how he was able to market and appear all over the world really and that is what people would leave aside talent.
There is one thing that speaks for ourselves, but Cooke plays sports, but to your point, yes, he was much bigger than this game and he was getting bigger in some. In the scenes after his playing career we always talked about the Oscar, but he was a best-selling author, he had the Mamba Foundation, what he was doing with women's sports, it seemed like he was just getting started even though we've been watching over 20 years in this career and we were talking during the last piece you said you had the opportunity to interview him in 2016. Do you remember the last conversation you had with them.
Yes, we were being honored at the ESPYs. and I was talking to him afterwards and I ended up with this. I said: yes, your wife is now pregnant with you. Third, yes, third girl. I said man, what's going on with you? He just lit up and said it several times daddy's girls daddy's girls and then he said well, everyone is going to play soccer, that's what he said, but he was so excited and he lit up in a way that you can't fake, You saw it as soon as you started talking about those girls, daddy's daughters, and now, of course, one of his daughters is being celebrated here with him today.
He was waiting to see if his first family was going to show up, his wife and those three, no. It's a big part of that that actually leads us into our next segment now with Kenna Whitworth TJ. I think yes, please, yes, the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter along with seven other people was shocking mainly to his wife Vanessa Bryan. Quinta Whitworth joins me now with how she is doing. I have been dealing with this tragedy in Cana, we were talking about this before we started this broadcast today because it is an important part of what happened here, you can't stop and not think about Vanessa Bryant, she is now raising those other daughters alone , lost one. of her daughters and her husband and those Instagram posts have been very emotional to read, yes, tell me, of course, we are both parents and that was something that also caught our attention: how is Vanessa doing today? ?
It's about honoring Kobe and gg, of course, but Our hearts go out to Vanessa and her three daughters and when she first posted on Instagram she said she was really hesitant to do so, so she was hesitant to express her feelings, but she decided to write about this in case someone else might be. Going through something similar, she wanted to see if she could help someone when she started expressing her feelings and said in her Instagram post that it's like she just can't accept her body and it won't let her realize that they're gone and she's trying to process Kobe's death and loss he said my body just won't let me understand that my gg's will never come back to me it's not fair he also said I am and how can't you relate. to that and then went on to say that she had to be there, of course, to raise her three daughters and on Valentine's Day she posted a photo of her in Kobe, called it her forever Valentine and also said that apparently Valentine's Day was his favorite holiday, something you might not think he might not know about Kobe Bryant and most recently he posted a photo of a tattoo, it's a tattoo of World Cup champion Sydney Leroux and now it's number two which, of course, is from GG. number, but that's also the number Sydney uses and the tattoo issue is going strong.
I read a report that there's even a tattoo artist here in LA that's booked through the end of the year, that's something people are doing. To honor Kobe, people are grieving in different ways and we can only imagine how Vanessa feels our hearts go out to her as she tries to move on with her life raising her daughters of course Tom they have a seven month old baby, They have a little girl who won't really know her father like many of us do and it's certainly hard to think about because at the end of the day there's a mother who lost her baby and lost her husband and has to figure it out.
You're absolutely right Cana and we don't even know if Vanessa Bryan will be here and you and I were talking about this and it's okay if she's not here because this is maybe the lowest point without a doubt in her life and yet she still she has to show strength, she still has to be the mother of that baby for her other two daughters and a kind of symbol, now really the head of the family for the Bryant family and the fans and the people who love Kobe Bryant. I will watch her and read how she copes this morning and in many ways people will admire her too.
Yes, absolutely, I think people will look for an essay on how to move forward. Where are you going? from here I mean that people in Los Angeles don't know Los Angeles without Kobe Bryant and he has been a part of their history from the beginning. I mean, they started dating when she was in high school in Orange County and she was with him throughout her life. Rise in the NBA, she supported him when times were difficult in her marriage and, of course, they had four beautiful daughters and played Kobe Bryant, as he liked.like to say, a girl, dad and I think she will set the precedent here, how we all are.
We're supposed to feel when we think about what to do and where to move forward and she was learning, Tom, as this comes on the heels of the FAA saying five years ago that the pilot who was flying that doomed helicopter was involved in airspace. rape during a cloudy day at LAX and today we learned that on February 24th Vanessa Bryan filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Island Express against that helicopter company. TMZ says that claims the pilot was reckless, yes, Cana Whitworth, that

news

just unfortunately, on the same day that people come here to honor Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, you mentioned that the word girls dad and that kind of

news

was something that emerged from this horrible tragedy shortly after Kobe and Gianna. death the hashtag girl dad went viral Elli from ESPNDuncan shows us how Kobe Bryant was not only an inspiration to many as a player but also as a father of little girls.
A dead girl is obviously a dead girl who has a daughter, but I think it goes deeper than that. Your love for her is so strong. and you get all soft inside when you see that you are the girls' father, it means everything. I love my daughters very much and you can already see each one's different personalities and it definitely makes me feel special. Could not be happier. Being a girl, but after her death, the words Kobe Bryant shared with me almost two years ago have now created a movement. Without hesitation, he said: I would have five more girls if I could.
I'm a girl, dad, I can just be. with his daughters, being with his family, he is the happiest I have ever seen him in my life, everyone sees a girl, dad, nice new hashtag, they understand that with two simple words the world found a way to pay tribute to the legend to through his daughters. The fact that something like this has become fashionable. I think the fact that the entire world stopped when the tragedy happened just shows what a huge impact it had not only on the athletes, but on everyone around the world, and that's thousands of very powerful people. about thousands of fathers honoring their daughters and daughters celebrating their dads a simple phrase for a sacred bond.
Koby impacted me as a girl that just by showing that girls can do the same things that men can do, they can have the same mentality that he seemed to love. It was all a lot of passion and I'm sure that came from having all the girls, so I'm trying to grow that kind of love for my family too. Coby set the example of how to father girls and inspire. trust in them and show them that they can do anything the moments I spend with Bernie before the games our moments I will remember forever she likes to just talk about when we are going to go to the game so I can go out and drove him with you in the court, dad, she loves and she lights up and she certainly likes me.
You see, there is a perception that having boys makes men feel more complete, but there was Kobe and all his joy reminding the world of the blessing that comes with being a dad to girls, my wife is actually pregnant, so We are waiting for her fourth and many people tell me: what if it were another girl? As much as I would love a child as much as my wife loves a child. Definitely, a part of me that bothers me is another professional girl, the average one, the daughters of giants, they forged a community. I think the overall impact has been that dads in general have gotten better, we're proud to have our daughters and not just So, oh, I want to go out when I'm a kid and raise the pillows.
Great. You know, Kobe also thinks about being a girl. Thanks for loving GG. You know daughters the way you did. She has been a great example. me, my daughter Sienna, so thanks bro, the story behind the hashtag girls, dad, okay, next up is a man who faced Kobe on the court many times. Bruce Bowen joins us to talk about his memories of the NBA icon, stay with us. watching ABC News live, ongoing coverage of Kobe and Gianna Bryan's memorial

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We are just a few minutes away from the ceremony that begins right behind me. You can see the crowd. of fans who are trying to get into Staples Center right now, the ceremony will start in just a few minutes, might you know it might start a little later, but a lot of ticket holders are rushing for the doors right now for almost everyone they wear Kobe Bryant clothes during us he is now an ESPN analyst and former NBA player for the San Antonio Spurs who faced off on the court many times against Kobe Bruce Bowen Bruce thank you very much for joining us on this day I know you have your heart And your mind is with Kobe and his family today, but I have to ask you, since you had the opportunity, unlike anyone who's watching right now, what was it like playing with Kobe Bryant to try to cover him well as a defensive player?
It was a joy because he was definitely one of the best and every time you have the opportunity to face the best, I think you should know how to raise your juices also to do the best job possible against him, now you know that I know all the things in which Kobe has achieved it and when we started fighting there was a little bit of envy on my part to the extent that he had something that I wanted and I didn't care at first because I thought, oh look. Because of his arrogance, he is very arrogant, but he was a champion and, with that said, it was a play that really earned my respect with Kobe on the court and taught me the situation where you have to have a healthy respect for the the rest.
I can't discredit them for their accomplishments, but the most important thing is to work as hard as they can work and you managed to be a champion, Bruce, what was it like, day in and day out, because you know we've talked a lot today about Kobe's accomplishments? discipline would return better and stronger each year well, you understood that he was a person who would dedicate himself to his craft, you understood that he was going to return each year it was something different one year our memory returned a little more muscular and the first thing he did in the post was to say, hey, yeah, I've been working out, Bruce, it shows, hey, I put on a little extra weight so that when you keep hacking me I can finish my shots Bruce and you.
I know watching all of this and I heard you talk about the moment you heard the news when you found out Kobe had passed away, what it's been like for the players that played with Kobe and overall, you're still a part of the NBA, How has it been for the league? Well, I think if there is anything we can learn from this it is that life is very valuable and we have to really appreciate the moments we have with it. You know, learn this news. What it did was I think it showed a human aspect for a lot of players, even in a competitive environment where you know you're going up against someone and there's a disdain that you have, but now because of the human aspect, you see that Kobe continues to impact the game.
In a different way, you know your heart goes out to him and his family, so when I heard the news it was devastating because he is someone who from the early days of us fighting each other I came to have and develop a relationship with. We would sit down with him and talk and in those talks he talked about growing the game, this is one of the best players to ever play basketball and he is talking about how we should help this game, how we should continue the teaching process. the game and when you see that kind of fervor and desire and someone putting their heart and effort into something as simple as the love they have, it just makes you appreciate the time you spent with them that much more as well.
Like the others, Bruce, you talked about the things we can learn from this experience and what you think younger players have maybe learned about Kobe because we've learned a lot more about his story, his life, his passions and what he wanted to do next. of basketball. I think if there's one thing that a lot of the younger players can learn it's their desire and their work ethic, it's not about giving anything to cope, we're talking about an 18 year old playing at the NBA level and contributing, you know, in his second year and continued the process of listening to the coaches and taking all that knowledge and applying it to others as he grew, you saw the way he's willing to work with the guys, now there's a time where Kobe was the competitor I didn't want. to train with the player, he wanted to make sure he was doing due diligence on him so he could maintain that advantage.
I think his work ethic is something we can all learn, as far as his hours in the gym, spending time on his art, you don't wake up and turn it on like that, a lot of players today are learning that in all these different tributes to Kobe and I think that's the positive, if there's anything you can learn from him it's the fact that if you work hard enough and you have a passion for something. No way big things will happen. I don't think Kobe ever thought about his legacy this way, but it was just the person he was and the desire to get better at the game he loved that's why everyone has so many emotions for him and his family. at the moment.
You know, Kobe when he left the game also talked about being a villain and a hero. What was it about him that maybe opposing players and fans hated or didn't like him? or how did he get under his skin? Well, I think there is a comfort with themselves that Kobe had some champion, any Indian, any individual, you know there is a comfort that they have with themselves and if you have that comfort and if you feel comfortable within your skin. There is no greater joy than walking into a building and they shout different things at you and you are able to silence that crowd.
He enjoyed those moments. He worked hard for those moments. Those moments were not by chance. Those moments just happened because of the love he had for the game. basketball and the fact that I wanted to continue the process of passing it on to GG and others as well. Alright, Bruce Bowen for us, Bruce, thank you very much for that, we just got an update. As far as when the ceremony will start, we think we're about 20 or 25 minutes away from the ceremony starting here at the Staples Center. Today I spoke with Dave McMenamin, who covers the Lakers for ESPN, about how the team is dealing with the loss of the Lakers.
Leijen and David actually grew up in the same city as Kobe. We were both from the Philadelphia suburb about 20 miles southwest of Philadelphia and he was a kid originally when he was growing up, he was the son of Joe Brian, the Sixers player, and was he as good as the guys that played in the Catholic League? in Philadelphia? He only played in the suburbs. Get guys like me and then he came to the NBA and started proving himself and played against the Sixers as the only finals and said he wanted to. It ripped the hearts of all the Philly fans and kind of soured his legacy there a little bit, but as time went on, I think the fans appreciated Philly's work ethic and at the end of his run he was sold out. the Wachovia Center and the fans fully embraced the mob mentality.
You know, there was a time when he said that when he was younger and I don't know if you remember this, but he talked about this when he was 10 years old and he was horrible. basketball player and when he was 14 years old he was one of the best players in the state. People were talking about him back then. Oh absolutely, he came back to the States after spending years 7-13 in Italy and I played in a summer league. and scored zero points in total, very good, he felt like he had to build from the ground up not only in terms of reestablishing himself as a basketball player but also learning things like the lingo and being able to relate to these kids because he had spent all this time in Europe played against my high school and my 8th grade coach still has the high school score book of Kobe beating his team and Kobe scored 13 ofthe team's 26 points, the points there are incredible.
You wrote a really moving story about When the Lakers found out the news, what was it like reporting on that story to ask those questions and find out what that moment was like? I mean, it's been about a month and obviously there's been raw emotions and you want to give people time and some of the guys were starting to open up and Danny Green, one of the Lakers guards, hosts a podcast and he asked Phil that he was one of the coaches and could cook with a backup guard and they had an All-Star break. They went and shared their memories of the plane ride, not an interview where Davis started talking openly about it and like there's enough information you start to piece it together, so this week I talked to Lakers coach Frank Vogel.
I talked to LeBron James and LeBron told me about this moment after he got the news and they all fell asleep right there on the cross-country flight Frank Vogel walks into the cabin of the plane tells them everything that's going on LeBron brought them all together for a team prayer and I asked him what was going on in your mind he was just on my mind he was in my heart and I felt like at that moment we needed to be together and I said hey, you know, no one knows what God's plan is, but we are all here together. for a reason and we must stick together during the strategy, what do you think this does for the Lakers team?
I mean, you cover basketball, this is one of those things that's bigger than basketball, so to speak, how does it affect the Lakers? Do you think the league in general? league in general Kobe is one of the monoliths that existed in the NBA and will forever be a bastion of work ethic, a passion for following your dreams and achieving them and someone who is proud of the sport of basketball, promoted it among the youth. level at the international women's level and that will always exist in terms of this Lakers team specifically, they already had a lot of motivation.
LeBron James is a motivated guy playing in year 17 trying to win a championship with the third different franchise after Miami and Cleveland. but I think you know, maybe there's something in the air where they're saying you know there's more than just basketball this year, we have to do it for ourselves, but also for the community of Lausanne, maybe maybe some pressure. I saw that yesterday the Celtics game they made it was an incredible game ESPN reported Dave McMenamin for us he covers the Lakers we thank him for his time we are just minutes away from the start of a celebration of life for Kobe and Gianna Bryan stay with We are seeing that ABC News lives continuous coverage in times like these and the news makes events happen here.
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ESPN Shelley Smith has more. Kobe Bryant's impact is felt by many across the country. When did he first find out? Kobe Bryant 10 talents born Surya Rodriguez, 10, goes to school in San Pedro, a small community in southern Los Angeles County, but it's after school that he looks forward to most. I have played basketball since I was 5 years old. I love basketball because it is a fun sport and since anyone can play it, retired boys and girls, Kobe Bryant wanted to have a global footprint in his business and aspire to be a champion of youth sports. In 2017, he partnered with Nike and the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Clubs to create the Mamba League, a youth basketball instructional league for children ages eight to ten that has since expanded to New York City, the program of the program was simple.
Come on, Kobe is doing something amazing and you can come play for the Mamba League and it will be a lot. more available to her when you enter the maan, I think it was free, it's free for anyone who wants to join as long as they're in the Boys and Girls Club and he has this amazing team. I have a backpack. I'm sure I have a marker of 16 years. Old Kumi Tomorrow, a high school student, rented Kobe's youth camp in Santa Barbara and played tournaments at Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks. The two developed a friendship. He had patients to make sure everyone knew what the science behind the game was like. happening and why things weren't or when to do things and when is the appropriate time to do nothing that Kobe obviously invested in his children teaching them excellence, but he also coached Tom Ferry is the executive director of sports at the Aspen Institute. and Society Last year, Kobe collaborated with the Aspen Institute's Project Play and ESPN on an initiative called Don't Retire Kid, an effort to increase youth sports participation.
In August he launched the campaign to his 15 million followers on Twitter. I'm here to announce my retirement from sports the pressure it takes to play at my age is just too much tell me about your involvement in the play well project something I was really passionate about because of its mission of how to make gaming more engaging how training children Play the project is a very ambitious idea. Kobe was valuable because after retiring he is really thinking about his legacy. How do I take what I've learned about excellence and teach it to the next generation? How do we create a culture?
Change of systems. and using sports in this country so that more kids have a better experience playing Bryant was the keynote speaker at the 2018 Project Gaming Summit and spoke frequently about the issues in youth sports, I think for us, in how we guide to our children when they are little. athletes, part of this has to do with just protecting that childlike innocence that they have. Kobe knows that he is a high performance athlete, that you shine from the game in the kit and you listen to them, you understand their social and emotional lives and what they need to get out of the experience, he always tells me that people come and go in your life for a reason and these things happen for a reason and in the end Lillian is my story to tell and he has helped me get to this point and he knows so many different people and dad may not have even more health stories.
I think the most important thing for parents is to establish an element of fun and imagination. It is important that children have freedom and flexibility to create, imagine and play. being funny while teaching the fundamentals of sport being able to give a voice to voiceless kids and it's something so rare and so precious and that's what I think we're going to miss Kobe's ability to help kids be respected, hopefully They will get all the benefits. that come from playing ESPN Shelley Smith sports for us and we should note that Vanessa Bryan is donating all proceeds from ticket sales from today's celebration to the Mamba and Mamasita Sports Foundation.
I want to bring it back Cana Whitworth one of our ABC correspondents in Cana I want to take you back a few years ago, when you were here outside the Staples Center for Kobe's last game. Yes, Tom, it's almost eerie to remember now. It was an incredible task at the time and when you get to the game. Otherwise it was a meaningless game, there were no playoff implications here, but it might as well have been the NBA Finals, the atmosphere was incredible, right inside the Staples Center celebrities had gathered and when I asked them, you know why it is so important to be here.
They said I'm here to witness history and that's really what it was and as for Kobe, he actually started a little slow in the game, but as everyone knows, he ended up scoring 60 points and at the end of the game he managed to break through. the microphone and said this has been beautiful and then of course he said Mamba out and in the press conference afterwards he talked about how tomorrow morning I'm going to get up early and I'll be on the treadmill because he didn't want to wake up without a purpose, he backed off. a little bit on time to say it might not be very early because of the champagne today, but I'll be there.
I didn't want to have a life without a purpose and that's really how it was. Ramona was born at that press conference. I'll never forget her asking him, obviously, Kobe, you're a legendary basketball player, but did you ever think you'd be as good at anything else as you are at basketball and we've talked about the pursuit of her? of perfection and as we all know, he was so good at everything else that he won an Oscar, so everything he did he did with one hundred and ten percent of himself and that relentless pursuit of perfection was something that was so easy to see. he was passing it on to his daughters and he was passing it on to the next generation of professional basketball players, both men and women, he was a huge supporter of women's soccer and he doesn't have to validate that, you know, women's sports are what they are. .
It is and it's amazing, but he was there out of pure respect for these athletes and he was teaching Gianna how to follow in her footsteps and I always thought that was a really fantastic way to not only be a father but also be a coach. well, and teach her the ways of basketball that he knew and introduce her to these women that she could look up to and, as a basketball player, those are the kind of things that you learn and that stay with you for the rest of your life. You know, Tom, when we talk about the Mambo Mamacita Sports Foundation, these kids are learning about their lives through basketball and that's something that Kobe Bryant has done to hit them and that will be his lasting legacy.
The Mamba mentality is not gender specific. I know it's for everyone, boys and girls, athletes of all types, yeah, there's really no debate about the importance of youth sports. Cana, you know, before you came to Los Angeles, you were in Boston, another big sports city, what was it like moving here to Los Angeles? and then moving to Kobe City, it's definitely Kobe City, there's no doubt about it and of course there's a big rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. You know, I think Kobe is so big that he's bigger than basketball, he's bigger than the Lakers. he's Los Angeles so I think you're lining up and actually Tom reminds me you know they canceled the Lakers game after they got killed you know the last time an NBA basketball game was canceled It was the Boston Marathon bombing and they canceled the Boston Celtics game so you know when you're a sports fan you're a sports fan and there are certain athletes that really transcend the game and I think everyone, whether you're a fan of the Celtics or the Lakers.
Fan, you respect Kobe and you respect what he gave to this game. Kaena Whitworth for us this morning here in downtown Los Angeles. Cana. Thank you. I want to go back to ESPN analyst and former San Antonio Spurs NBA player Bruce Bowen. Bruce was just Five minutes into this ceremony about to start and I want to know where you guys are thinking today and what you're thinking about as you watch the ceremony. Well, my mind is only on the families that were lost and how we got there. get back to some activitynormal in their lives because this is something that will change everyone's life forever, but at the same time we don't want, we don't want to be sad and heartbroken forever about this, but we want to try to do something positive with this and I think if there is anyone who we can look at and say what would this guy do and talk about Colby, he would come back after things and then we understand that we have to pick up the pieces in life, but more importantly, we can use what he stood for in terms of that ethics of work to be the best you could be in everything you touched and use it as a motivating factor every day that we are here doing what we do, whether it's your passion, whether it's your love, you understand that you can do so much more in life with a proud heart about achieving certain things in life and Bruce, what do you think the league will take away from this advancement?
Kobe's legacy we know that he will most likely be a member of the Hall of Fame, the all-star game changed some things to honor Kobe Bryant, but moving on from this ceremony here, Kobe will always have a place in the history of the NBA and he will definitely have it and That's the beautiful part of the MBA is how active they are with former players and when you talk about a former Kobe player, his character, his legacy and the way he touched the world with his game, you know which I definitely think you're going to see something that will be kind of a tribute to him as far as the trophy and the MVP goes.
I mean, if someone has that kind of drive and desire that he had, I think he just adds value to what the league is, but the most important thing is that he did it. It continues to take me back to that individual who will fight tooth and nail for everything as long as there is time on the clock. Kobe was going to use that time to try to do something spectacular at that time Bruce Bowen for us from San Antonio. today reflecting discussing and analyzing everything that the

kobe

Bryant of him for us in this special here on ABC News live, we are literally minutes away from this ceremony beginning.
I just got the two minute rap. We are about to enter the Staples Center to honor Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the seven others who lost their lives in that horrific helicopter crash and we cannot emphasize this enough. It's about Kobe and Gianna, but it's about those other people, those innocent lives that were lost when that helicopter crashed almost a month ago and This happened almost a month ago, but it only took a few minutes for that accident to happen to give us realize the impact that Kobe Bryant had not only here in Los Angeles around the world as a player but as someone who brought championships here to Los Angeles as a whole. -star member of the US team, future hall of famer and also someone who was an ambassador for youth sports, especially a youth sports coach, his daughter Gianna was there on the court with her daughter's games explaining to her the game supporting her.
We have seen since this death that the hashtag "Girls Dad" is simply taken away by people who are proud to show that they are fathers of daughters, that they are part of their lives and it will be interesting to see what happens in this ceremony because we really don't know. what is going to happen it is not yet clear if Vanessa Bryant will be here it is not clear who will speak who will perform we know that the event sold out 20,000 tickets and all the proceeds will go to the Mamba y mamasita foundation, so they will go to good causes and Really , the city has made it very clear: If you don't have a ticket, watch from home, watch on places like ABC News live and on all the local stations that cover this because they want this to be a solemn moment. special moment they don't want to have too much congestion, in fact they have blocked streets and put up barricades with a kind of black cover so that people can't look in, they want to keep this as private and intimate as possible and form Over the last month, hundreds of Thousands have passed through the Staples Center to leave mementos to remember Kobe Bryant and today it is kind of the epicenter of all that.
Today will be the day they honor Kobe and his daughter Gianna. We are 10 seconds away. from the ceremony that began here at the Staples Center that house that Kobe built we thank you for joining our coverage of each other yes, I'm ready good morning and welcome to the celebration of the life of Kobe and Gianna Bryant and their friends John Kerry and ELISA Altobelli Sarah and Payton Chester Christina Mouser and Aras abuyin on behalf of Vanessa and the entire Bryant family, we thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time and appreciate your love and coming to celebrate the lives of these extraordinary people.
That's how it is. A commemorative event, the word celebration is a big part of its purpose and while we ask that you respect the solemnity of the occasion, we must not forget to celebrate the lives of Kobe Gianna and his friends, there is no doubt that he would have wanted that . To kick off this event, a very close friend of the Bryant family is here to show her love and support for Vanessa and all the families here today. Please welcome Beyonce Knowles. Carter, even in the shed, maybe you'll understand me. I'm here because I love Kobe and this.
It was one of her favorite songs, so I want to start again, but I want us all to do it together and I want you to sing it so loud, are you all ready? She loved it, even in the shadow, maybe it'll give me Oh, ooh, baby, the light of day. Always stay buddy, you're famous you in the duck, my walls, a field, baby, I need someone down, they didn't even resist, they didn't even make the sound. I found Willie, true, but I've never mastered him. Hey, I got my motor, pray right, they may only be 18 years and five months old, but this guy can do everything the veterans can do and do it better, maybe Kobe Bryant will give it to the world, we gotta make the wish of that you were here, but you're not here because I dream that you get back to doing work you work hard enough dreams come true those moments when you get up early and work hard all those times you stay up late and work hard those moments when we don't feel like working you're too tired you don't want to try hard but you do it anyway that's actually the tree cousins ​​that's the dream it's not the destination it's the journey if you can understand that then what you will see happen is that you won't make it your goal dreams your dreams won't come true something bigger a cowboy to the wish you were here but you could cause a dream but always beating my heart I appreciate it sincerely there are no words that can describe how I feel for you guys thank you thank you from the bottom of I heartily love you guys, our thanks to Beyoncé for being with us today and for expressing her love so beautifully.
Another good friend of the Bryant and Lakers family is here to help guide us through this morning celebration. Could you please welcome Jimmy? Kimmel, well, you chose the wrong person to guide you. I will tell you that right now I want to thank everyone for being here and thank you for coming together to celebrate the lives of Elissa Altobelli, her parents, John and Kerry Altobelli, Payton, Chester, her mother. Sarah Chester Christina Mauser our as they go Gigi Bryant and her father Kobe Bryant this is a sad day but it is also a celebration of the life of their lives and of life itself in the building where we celebrate those of us who are fans of the Lakers and Kobe fans. many of the best moments of our lives and I am honored to have been asked to speak here.
The proceeds from the tickets you purchased will go directly to the Mama Mamacita Sports Foundation, which supports youth sports in underserved communities and also encourages them. that you go with mom in three organizations to give to the mom in three fund that was created to honor and provide financial support to the Chester Altobelli sabayon and Mouser families. I can only imagine what people are like, this is for them. I don't think any of We could have imagined this everywhere you go wearing his face is the number GG, he is the number everywhere and at every intersection there are hundreds of murals painted by artists who were inspired not because he is a basketball player but because Kobe was also an entertainer and not just in Los Angeles across the country and Kobe's hometown Philadelphia in Italy in India Philippines China New York Phoenix Austin for God's sake, places where you would get booed on the court.
Kobe is missing even the great Boston Celtic Bill Russell wore number 24 and the Lakers jersey. At yesterday's game he knew that he would eventually come to see us. Today we are joined by Kobe's teammates and opponents, his friends, his family and his fans, as we try to make sense of what happened to these nine beautiful people who, by all accounts, were so full of life the Quedados Back parents friends coworkers classmates siblings and children I've been trying to find something positive to take from this and it was hard because there's not much, but I think the best I could I can come up with this gratitude, it seems to me that everything What we can do is be grateful for the time we spent with them and for the time we have left with each other and that's all in the Catholic Church, you know, the Bryant family. it's part of that mass we share the sign of peace this is a time to hug or shake hands with the people around you and it occurred to me that that's something that only seems to happen at church and sporting events when perfect strangers who love the Suddenly, the same team is hugging, high-fiving and celebrating together, so since we are here to celebrate today, I would like to invite you right now to take a moment to say hello to the people around you, whether they whether you know it or not, to be grateful. life and the fact that we are all here together now I would like to introduce you to the person who invited us all here today to 24 because he knew we needed it and we cannot celebrate the lives of Kobe and Gigi and all the people they lost without honoring to the woman Kobe and Gigi loved most please welcome Vanessa Bryan thank you so much thank you all for being here it means a lot to us too I love you first I would like to thank everyone for coming today the outpouring of love and support What my family of everyone has felt has been very encouraging.
Thank you very much for all your prayers. I'd like to talk about Coby and Gigi, but I'll start with my baby first. My baby Gianna Bryant is an amazing person. Sweet and gentle soul, she was always considerate, she always kissed me goodnight and she kissed me good morning. There were a few times when I was absolutely tired of being up with Bianca and Capri and I thought she had left for school without saying goodbye to her. I text him and say. no kiss and Gianna responded with mom I kissed you, you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you up she knew how much her morning and evening kisses meant to me and she was so thoughtful that she

remembered

to kiss me every day she was daddy's girl, but I know she loved her mom and always told me and showed me how much she loved me.
She was one of my best friends. She loved to bake. She loved to put a smile on everyone's face. Last August, she made a beautiful birthday cake. For her dad I had fondant and it looked like it had blue agate crystals. Kobe's birthday cake looked professionally decorated. She made the best chocolate chip cookies. She loved watching cooking shows and Cupcake Wars with me and loved watching the Survivor and MBA games on TV. with her dad she also loved watching Disney movies with her sisters Gigi was very competitive like her dad with Gianna she had a sweet grace about her her smile was like the sun her smile took up her entire face like mine Kobe always said she was me , she had my turn on my personality and sarcasm she was soft and loving on the inside she had the best laugh she was contagious she was pure and genuine Kobe and Gianna naturally gravitated towards each other she had Kobe's ability to listen to a song and memorize all the lyrics afterwards listening to the song a few times was her secret talent she was an amazing athlete she was great at gymnastics soccer softball dance and basketball she was also an amazing dancer she loved swimming dancing doing cartwheels and jumping in our pool and Gigi loved her tick dances tac Gigi was confident, but not in an arrogant way.
She loved helping and teaching other people things at school. She was offering the men's basketball coaches help to give the men's basketball team some tips on how to try to go on offense. She was very similar. her father and that they both liked to help people learn new things and master them. They were great teachers. Gigi was very sweet. She always made sure everyone was okay. She was our Pastor. She always kept our family together. She loved family traditions. Family movie night and geib night. Vacations were important to her, you always took care of everyone, she was very in tune with our feelings and wanted the best for us.
Gianna was smart, she knew how to read, speak and write Mandarin, she knew Spanish, she had excellent grades and kept them up. all while becoming an incredible basketball player, being school spirit president on the student council, being assistant director of her school play like her older sister, looking forward to graduating eighth grade and moving on to high school with her older sister Natalia I. I am very happy that they gave her the opportunity to know that she was accepted into the samehigh school. She was very happy. Gianna made us all proud and she still does. Gianna never tried to settle.
She was always herself. She was a good person, a leader. teacher dressed in a white t-shirt, black leggings, a jean jacket, white high-top converse and a flannel tied at her waist with straight hair, it was her favorite style, she had so much style and rhythm since she was a baby, she gave the best hugs and the best kisses she had beautiful soft lips like her dad she hugged me and hugged me so tight I could feel she loved me I loved the way she looked at me while she hugged me It was like she was soaking everything in us we love the one to the other both I am mr. so much she was so energetic that I couldn't keep up with her energy Natalia and I were laughing on a track once when she was about six we let her have a head start she is still dust to dust I miss her sweet kisses I missed her cleverness I miss her sarcasm his wit and that adorable, sly side smile followed by a smile and a laugh.
We share the same cat that ate the canary. Gigi was a sunshine, she brightened my day every day. I miss looking at her beautiful face. She was always very good at following the rules. I knew I could always count on her to do the right thing. She was the most loving daughter. A thoughtful little sister and a silly older sister. She would happily help carry the small bag of diapers or play with them. She liked to help me. Bianca and Capri Bianca loved going to the playground swimming and jumping on the trampoline with Gigi. She used to tell Gigi that she thought Koko considered her her favorite sister.
Capri was smiling from ear to ear when Gigi walked into the room and Capri reminds me a lot. Gianna look alike and they just smile with their whole face pure joy we won't be able to see GG go to high school with Natalia and ask her how her day was we didn't have the opportunity to teach her how to drive a car I won't be able to tell her how beautiful she looks your wedding day. I'll never get to see my baby walk down the aisle have a father-daughter dance with her dad dancing on the dance floor with me in her hats, babies.
By her account Gianna would have been an incredible mother, she was very maternal since she was very little. Gigi probably would have become the best player in the WNBA. she would have made a big difference. She would have made a huge difference for women's basketball. She was motivated to change the way everyone viewed women in sports. She wrote articles in school defending women and wrote about how the unequal pay gap between the NBA and WNBA. The leagues were not fair and I really feel that she made positive changes for the WNBA players now that they knew the goal of Gigi was eventually to play in the WNBA.
I am still very proud of Gianna, she made a difference and she was kind to everyone she met. During the 13 years she was here on earth, her classmates shared with us many good memories about Gianna and those stories reminded me that Gianna loved and showed everyone that no act of kindness is too small to make a difference in the world. someone's life She was always always. Considered by others in her feelings, she was a beautiful, kind, happy, silly, thoughtful and loving daughter and sister, she was so full of life and had so much more to offer this world.
I can't imagine life without her mom Natalia Bianca Capri and her dad 11, both Gigi. I will miss your sweet handmade cards, your sweet kisses, and your beautiful smile. I miss you all every day. I love you, it's okay. Oh, to my soulmate, Kobe was known as a fierce competitor on the basketball court, the greatest of all time, a writer and an Oscar winner. winner and the Black Mamba but to me he was Koko my booboo my baby boo my daddy cool I was his VB his principessa his Frog his Queen mom mom and his whiskey meniscus fabulous key I couldn't see him as a celebrity or just an incredible player of basketball he was my sweet husband and the beautiful father of our children he was mine he was my everything Kobe and I have been together since I was 17 and a half years old I was his first girlfriend his first love his wife his best friend his confidant and his protective he was the most amazing husband Kobe loved me more than I could express or put into words he was the early riser and I was an idol I was fire and he was ice and vice versa sometimes we balanced each other out he would do anything for me, I have no idea how I deserved a man who loved and desired me more than Kobe, he was charismatic, a gentleman, he loved, adored and was romantic, he was truly the romantic one in our relationship and looked forward to Valentine's Day and our anniversaries.
Each year, he planned special anniversary trips and a special traditional gift for each year of our marriage. He even made my most precious gifts. He simply thought outside the box and was very thoughtful even as he worked hard to be the best athlete he gave him. me, the real notebook and the blue dress that rachel mcadams wore in the notebook movie when I asked him why he chose the blue dress he said it was because it's a scene where Ali returns to Noah. We were hoping to grow old together like in the movie. We truly had an incredible love story, we loved each other with everything we were: perfectly imperfect people who were a beautiful family and raised our sweet, amazing girls a couple of weeks before they passed away.
Cobie sent me a sweet message. I mentioned I wanted to spend time together. just the two of us without our kids because I'm best friends with her first, we never had the chance to do it, we were busy taking care of our daughters and just doing our everyday responsibilities, but I'm grateful to have that recent text message. It means a lot to me Kobe wanted us to renew our vows, he wanted Natalia to take over her company and he wanted to travel the world together. We had always talked about how cool grandparents our daughters' daughters would be, he would have been the coolest grandpa.
Kobe was the MVP of Girl Dad's or MBD. He never left the toilet lid up. He always told the girls how beautiful and smart they were. He taught them how to be brave and how to keep going when things get tough and we might give up. in the NBA, he took charge of dropping off and picking up our girls from school since I was at home pregnant with Bianca and recently nursing Capri at home when Kobe was still playing, he used to arrive an hour early to be the first in the line to pick up Natalya and Gianna from school and I told him he couldn't drop the ball once he took over, he was late once and we definitely let him know that I was never late so he showed up an hour and 20 minutes before.
I always knew there was room for improvement and I wanted to do better. He happily carpooled and enjoyed spending time in the car with our daughters. He was a loving father, a practical and present father. He helped me bathe Bianca and Capri almost every night. He sang them silly songs in the shower and continued to make them laugh and smile while he lathered them with lotion and got them ready for bed. He had magical arms that could put Capri to sleep in just a few minutes. She said she had it down to a science eight times up and down our hallway she loved taking Bianca around in fashion I'm going to see her play in the koi pond area and I love taking her to the park her most recent visit to the koi pond was the night Before he and Gigi passed away, he shared a love of movies and breaking movies with Natalia, enjoyed running out of theaters to take Athaliah to see the newest Star Wars movie or the Harry Potter movies, and they had movie marathons. and he enjoyed every second, he loved her typical tears - he liked to see the stepmothers steel magnolias and little women.
He had a tender heart. Kobe somehow knew where I was at all times, specifically when he was late to his games, he would worry about me if he wasn't in my seat at the start of the heavy CH. game and I asked security where he was the first time after the first quarter and my smart ass told him that he wasn't going to lose 81 points in the first 10 minutes of the game. I think anyone with kids understands that sometimes we can't get out on time and he finally got used to my tardiness and realized that he could play at an intense professional level and still be concerned about making sure we got to the game safely, it was just another example of how family came first for him.
He loved being Gianna's basketball coach. He told me that he wished he had convinced Nadia to play basketball so they could spend even more time together, but he also wanted her to follow his own passion. Natalya played in a volleyball tournament on her birthday on January 19 and he noted that she is a very smart player. He was convinced he would have made a great card with his court vision and told me he wanted Bianca and Capri to pick up a basketball when they grew up so he could spend as much time with them as he did with Gigi and Kobe always told Bianca and Capri that they were going to grow up and play basketball and mix assets now that they won't have their dad. and my sister are here to teach you and that is really a loss.
I don't understand it, but I'm so grateful that Kobe heard Coko say that daddy wasn't going to be here to drop Bianca Capri off at pre-K or kindergarten. I'll be here to tell me to control myself V when we have to leave the kindergarten classroom or show up to our daughters' doctor visits for my own moral support. He will not be able to walk our girls to the altar or walk around. I was on the dance floor while he sang PYT to me, but I want my daughters to know and remember the incredible person, husband and father, he was the type of man who wanted to teach future generations to be better and prevent them from committing his own mistakes.
He always liked to work and do projects to improve the lives of children. He taught us all valuable lessons about life and sports throughout his NBA career, his books, the details of his show and his Puny X podcast series and we are so grateful that he left those lessons and stories behind . to us he was thoughtful and wrote the best love letters and cards and Gigi had his wonderful ability to express his feelings and pay paper and make you feel his love through his words she was thoughtful like him they were so easy to love everyone naturally gravitated towards them they were fun, happy, silly and loved life, they were so full of joy and adventure.
God knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other. I had to take them to heaven together, honey, you take care of our chichi and me. I have Nani baby and Coco we are still the best team we love you and we miss you boo-boo and Gigi maybe you both rest in peace and have fun in heaven until we meet again one day we love you both and miss you forever and forever mommy The speaker we are about to hear was very special to the Bryant family. She is her dear friend and also a four-time Olympic gold medalist.
She is a three-time WNBA champion and three-time NCAA champion. The WNBA is the leading scorer of all time. that's not enough to convince you that she's one of the greatest of all time. Kobe gave her the highest honor of all and nicknamed her after her. Please welcome the White Mamba Diana Taurasi. My name is Diana Taurasi. Thanks Jimmy, you stole my first joke. I am the white Mamba. First, I would probably offer my deepest condolences to all the families who lost a loved one in 1996. I was a gangly, clumsy freshman in high school who obsessively shot night after night in my driveway on nights. in which the Lakers played.
I didn't miss a second of the game every time each commercial came on. I would run to the front yard to imitate my favorite Laker Kobe. On a few lucky occasions, my father would come home from work. He was a sheet metal worker in Los Angeles. I came home with Laker tickets watching Kobe play at the Great Western Forum as a rookie. He made this little girl believe that one day he could be a Laker. It was like getting to know myself every day. He made it okay to play with a borderline lead. Mamba's crazy early-onset mentality was in full effect years later, when I spent time with Kobe at the 2008 Olympics.
I learned firsthand that he wasn't limited to the basketball court, his competitive fire ran through his veins, like many of us today, in every training session. I finish the same way with Kobe's winning game, three strong dribbles to the right, left foot, plant, pivot, right leg movement, through, lift, square, up, follow through five, Andrew and I have to go home, it's the exact same shot that won us a championship in Phoenix. In 2014, Kobe's willingness to do the hard work and sacrifice every day inspired me and resonated with the city of Los Angeles, we fought together, we grew together, we celebrated the victories together, the same passion we all recognized in Kobe, obviously , Gigi inherited her ability. undeniable at a young age, I mean who has a shift or a jump shot at 11 years old.
LeBron barely made it today, but it was his curiosity about thegame which prompted her to pick up the basketball every day. Gigi was among the best. times as a basketball player career no responsibilities no expectations just basketball with your best friends every weekend it was a new adventure a chance to learn to work and grow together as a unit when i was a kid there was nothing to look forward to more than a long hot summer days at the gym with your friends the same way Kobe inspired a generation of basketball players, Gigi, and sparked Kobe's interest in coaching and teaching the game.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who received the text from Kobe asking what the exercises were. what she was doing when they were 13 years old Gigi represents in many ways the future of women's basketball, a future where a young woman aspires to play in the WNBA in the same way that I wanted to be a Laker Jeezy already had goals to play at UConn that in itself demonstrated it fearless mentality, she represents a time when a girl doesn't need permission to play, her skill would command respect last time I saw Gigi, the Mamas were in Phoenix for a big AU tournament, Kobe Burt took them to the locker room to watch the practice.
I always remember the look on Gigi's face it was a look of excitement a look of belonging a look of fierce determination as a daughter sister wife and mother we embrace Vanessa Natalya Bianca and Capri we promise to carry on Gigi's legacy Coby Gigi Sohn from the heart of los

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new cameron took a lot just like his father was for our next speaker our next speaker was for Gianna the mentors don't know gender or race, they just know that they are here to help others and what if john is the most shocking? and Friends was Sabrina UNESCO after her appearance here this morning, she will fly back to the Bay Area in front of Stanford, no doubt, with thoughts of her time here always present in her mind, let's welcome the all-time leader of the NCAA in points, assists and three-point field goals Sabrina UNESCO growing up I only knew one way to play basketball fiercely with obsessive focus I was absolutely competitive I wanted to be the best I loved the job even when it was hard, especially if it was hard I knew that he was different that my drive was different I grew up watching Kobe Bryant game after game ring after ring living his greatness without apologizing I wanted to be like him loving every part of the competition being the first one in the last one out I love the routine to be the best you can when you're not feeling your best and make other people around you be the best version of themselves and wake up and do it again the next day, so that's what I did. work and improve a year ago my Oregon team was playing at USC the morning of the game our coaches told us there was a surprise for the day.
I was thinking Nike sent us some new shoes or a cleat or something, the game starts and shortly after Kobe walks in with his daughter Gianna and two of his teammates, they sat on the court while I stood there speechless, they saw the whole thing. game and that was the first time I met Kobe. Kobe GG and his teammates came into the locker room after the game and congratulated us. in victory that day in our season up to that point, but he said and I will never forget it, don't shoot yourself in the foot, he meant, don't settle for just continuing to fight, control what you can, the national championship was not far away and our El goal was to win everything.
I remember gg excited and smiling in the locker room. I always watched a lot of movies of her playing basketball. She had a better fade than me. I asked her where she wanted to play ball in college and she said. UConn, she had the will and determination to be able to play wherever she wanted and if she wanted to go there, I wanted her there too. She and her teammates were with us for a while. Starstruck, a little shy but always watching whatever school she chose, no matter if she represented the president of the women's game.
Gigi was the future and Coby knew it, so we decided to build a future together. I worked with Gigi twice, during the summer, I went to help coach Kobe's team. Gigi had so many skills from her father that you could tell how many hours they spent in the gym practicing their moves, she smiled all the time, but when it came time for the game, she was ready to kill her demeanor changed almost instantly when the whistle blew. . I remember one time someone grabbed her shirt and she just knocked him down and then stepped over him. Kobe and I looked at each other smiling and he said: I don't know. where he learned that from I laughed and said yeah you can't teach that and definitely not at his age.
Kobe was right, she was right. I love seeing how hard she worked and how much her teammates loved her, but also her own desire to be one. Great, she always wanted to learn to go to all the games she could in college NBA WNBA. Kobe was helping. It's worth it because he saw it in her just like he saw it in me. Her vision for others is always bigger than what they imagined for themselves. His vision for me was much bigger than mine, more importantly, he didn't just show up in my life and leave, he stayed, we stayed in touch, we always texted, called, visited games, I leave a triple- double and I receive a message from him, a novel triple-double. see with a flexible emoji another game another text beast mode or easy money I felt some pressure at the beginning of the season and he wrote to me, but he has been good enough and will continue to be good enough, he taught me his step back, he said he.
He told me that if he could bring that to my game, he would be finished for any defender who tried to defend me. He told me how high my ark should be on my shaft. How to tilt my foot. Which leg to kick. How much force to push. real sharpness is achieved effortlessly he said he was giving me the shot he was giving GG the same shot that brought us together he did it so that the outsiders who had worked everyone else who were driven to be a little different every day to make those around them behind and above them a little better every day and they were no exception, they were the rule.
He wanted to be part of the generation that changed basketball for GG and his teammates were being born women. It doesn't mean being born back where greatness was not divided by gender you have a lot to give to say silence that's what he said that's what he believed that's what he lived GG threw me through his investment and women's basketball that was his next great act a girl dad basketball in many ways it was just a metaphor I still text them even though he is not here thanks for all the rest it is for you rest easy my boy the last one I sent him said I miss you rest in peace dear friend , the texts go through but there is no response, I still feel like he is there on the other end of the line, that the next time I pick up my phone he would have hit me back.
Sometimes I find myself still waiting, it's so strange to describe him or gg in the past. tense you don't get used to it no one tells you that about the pain the week after the accident I was in Colorado I had a game and like I do before every game I prayed this time I was thinking about Kobe and gg his voice is Still in my head even if his body is not on this earth and all I wanted was a sign that somehow he still heard me. I looked up at the sky and there was a beautiful golden sunset, the boldest yellow Lakers, yellow and more. in the distance a helicopter was my sign that he will always be with me I heard his voice in my head the last line of one of his books he walked into the darkness a memory is lost and you become the Sun on the horizon of the next traveler today May feels like darkness, he was in many ways a radiant sun fixed in the sky.
I asked each one of you, each girl, dad, each human being here with a voice, a platform in a heart, not to let his sunset shine for us, for our sport, wherever you want. invest in us with the same passion, drive, respect and love as he did with his own daughter, in the end she was a son who was just beginning to grow and God, she shined, may her light shine forever Coby and Gigi, I love you forever, thank you. Among the many dreams that the lovely Gianna would have realized in her life was playing for the best women's college basketball teams in history, the UConn Huskies, which are the highlights of her and her father's lives, it was a visit they made to campus in March 2019, here today to talk about her friendship with both, Geno Auriemma, the Huskies' 11-time NCAA championship coach, there are some incredible women in this room that weren't there and you just hear from three of them.
I'm Geno Auriemma and I'm the coach of the UConn women's basketball program and a lot of people are going to talk about basketball today and I don't know why I'm here. I'm not here for the basketball part. I tried the right to long and fluent speech about basketball and I can't do it, there are too many thoughts in my head since NASA asked me to talk too many things that made me realize more that I am here as a father, not as a basketball coach and we. The Italians, as these just showed, were very, very emotional people, right, Mike, he's half Italian, so the thoughts I started having after they asked me to speak obviously refer to all the people who were around. board and if you're a parent, grandparent, you feel a different kind of emotion when there are kids involved because it's always about the kids that we've lived our lives, we have a little bit left, they're just starting their lives and then my next thought came to Original team that Kobe was responsible for Natalya Bianca Capri Vanessa because we're always teammates, you know, we're always on a team, sometimes it's a big team, sometimes it's a small team and that's the most important team, and Coby and I share some history.
I started in Italy, went to Philadelphia, and then went to the limelight, lights, and glamor of Los Angeles. I was born in Philadelphia. I went to Philadelphia and went to see the cows in the stores. It was a joke because there is no lights and glitz and glamor in Storrs. Connecticut and how ironic that he talked to me about coaching the uncoachable wants to talk about coaching probably the most difficult player to coach in the NBA during his career he wants to know about coaching and I wanted to know why he said I'm coaching my daughter. team I was like, oh my gosh, poor girl, so when I saw the highlights of her game and about the third or fourth time she touched the ball, Gianna passed it when it was open, I thought she wasn't listening to her dad, so he would call and say what kind of defensive drills should I do, we have practice and they would work on defense, which he believes is the most important thing to teach the man, further proof that he never heard a word that any of his coaches told him he said, so I tried to explain.
I told them Kobe, they are 13 years old. I think you should say hey, you know, and watch that kid with the ball, try not to let it go past you and see if you're defending the other kids. They hate to see that kid the ball over there don't let him throw the ball to your guy keep it a little simple you know you said no I want to know what the rotations are when they drive but I said come on come on come on like this that these are the conversations we have as basketball people and as parents who have ever coached their kids, if you've ever been in that situation, as a lot of people here in this room probably have been, and I remember when GG came, as you saw in that video.
She came for the first game she ever attended and she walked into the locker room and here she is and the look on her face, the smile, the way her eyes caught everything in her mind of how excited she was to be there. her. royalty Saronic is her father's royalty and she is excited to be around royalty who looks like what she wants to be and the most impressive thing about that moment was how Kobe stepped back as much as he could so that anyone taking pictures and those who were there did not know it. that this was Kobe Bryant's daughter this was her moment this is what hurt her it was her time to shine this was her time to experience all the things he had experienced his whole life he was being a dad he wasn't being Kobe Bryant and he was allowing GG to be GG, not Kobe Bryant's daughter today, that's an amazing thing parents can do.
I'll leave you with just two things, we received a letter, oh, I have to tell you something you didn't see. but she met the Oregon Ducks women's basketball team and they all gathered around and said "do you want to take a picture" and they all ran and GG says "I'm fine, she knew what her heart was and you know that little sarcasm, well and when they came to, when they got to Yukon and they sat behind the bench and there was dad taking his daughter to a game and they had their shirts on and she had this coat and her hat and she was just a little girl at a game and again I felt more like a father than a basketball coach because I have done it with my children and finally the number 24 the number eight and the number two those are basketball numbers those are numbers from the past those are numbers that We are not going to recover whatwe have today is how many children like Diana have been inspired to do more to work harder and strive for more and the numbers we also do not have is how many children in the future how many women will be inspired by Gigi's life how many parents will be inspired by Kobe to be parents to really parent the way a parent is supposed to be in this room there is an incredible amount of talent in this room it is perhaps the greatest collection of talent I have ever met, but in this room there is a family and There is still a team at home and they still have a great coach and I will support that team from now on, thank you very much.
You are a coach now. I want to play for a UConn women's basketball team. Our next speaker is the general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, because he was Kobe's agent and, most notably for our purposes today, he is one of Kobe's best and closest friends and best man. GG please welcome Rob polenka. The world knows Kobe as a basketball legend, but I've been lucky enough to know him for 20 years or so. The Kobe I know had three unique sides that I hope to quickly honor Kobe the best friend today. dad and Kobe, the husband. I'll start with Kobe, the best friend.
Do you remember where you were on that misty, sunless morning of January 26 when the axis of the world seemed to shift forever for all of us? I was at Sunday church with my family. The phone was in my jeans pocket when I felt the familiar text message ring for a second. I ignored the notification because I was at church, but for some reason with this text message I felt a sudden urge to check my phone. I took it out of my jeans and discovered that the message was from Kobe. There was nothing unusual or unknown about this over the past two decades.
Kobe and I talk or text every day because that's what best friends do at the time. My instincts were to hang up the phone and come back. to the preacher's sermon, but a gentle push from another world forced me to open the text, so I did. I quickly saw that Kobe was asking me if he knew a certain baseball agent based in Southern California, since Kobe's question had no urgency. I decided to wait until after church to respond, but again there was a gentle nudge. I grabbed my phone and replied to Kobe that he had seen the baseball agent at a Lakers game the other night and that he was happy to help him with whatever he wanted, it was just after 9:30.
Kobe returned in his tuxedo explaining his desire to help a friend of his get an internship at the baseball agency for one of his young daughters. Kobe guaranteed the girl's character, intellect and work ethic. Clearly wanting the champion to be a bright future for her I texted Kobe back and told him I would put a plan in place to help him achieve it a few minutes later. Koby, Gianna and seven other beautiful souls ascended to heaven. Koby had been texting me from the helicopter. in that text chain was that he wanted to help so badly that it was Lexi Altobelli, the surviving daughter of coach John L.
Dabeli, who was also on the helicopters. Kobe's last human act was heroic. He wanted to use his platform to bless and shape a girl's future. Hasn't Kobe done that for all of us? Koby was literally the best friend anyone could ask for. He always passionately defended and celebrated the achievements of others and downplayed his own. The man who had won multiple NBA titles, MVP and an Oscar was vibrating with excitement. When someone he loved reached even a simple goal with any accomplishment, Kobe was always the first to say that this was one of his greatest gifts as a friend and something I will always miss.
There is a story that shows this beautiful side of Kobe, as Vanessa shared. In the years after he retired, Kobe was often one of the first to carpool to pick up his daughters from school with Kobe in pole position. My children who attended the same school could also see it often. Every time they saw him, he would greet them with enthusiasm if they had only one student of the year the other day my nine year old daughter Emery had big tears in her eyes because she missed Uncle Kobe and gg so much when I asked her why she said daddy every time that Kobe saw me.
He would run towards me, pick me up in his giant arms and lift me high above his head. Kobe always made me feel like she was the queen of the world. Kobe had a deep care for people that he has no parallel, he made every moment magical as if he was living a fantasy novel. This was the case when my family and the Bryants went on a camping or should I say glamping trip to Montana. We canoed and rode horses, fly fished and river rafted and rode a stagecoach to a dinner at a bonfire under the stars on every corner.
Kobe made everything an adventure, especially for the kids, and of course with all the nature activities we did, they had to be. done to the nth degree, if it was fly fishing, we had to learn to tie our own flies and fish standing in the stream with heavy waiter's boots, no shortcuts, Coby's enthusiasm and joy for all things fly life made that trip one of a lifetime, another remarkable one. The quality of Kobey's friendship is that he mastered the art of doing the things that his friends loved, things that he loved when he got the Lakers general manager job.
Kobe used to say that my life and his had changed instead of him, now I was the one who had On the Lakers' regimented schedule of practice games and road trips, I was now the only one commuting down the 405. from OSI to Los Angeles, on the other hand, Kobe was at home relaxing in Newport Beach doing all of his Kobe Inc work from his favorite place in the world. I lived the demands of the NBA for 20 years. Kobe understood the toll this would take on my family time, so he and Vanessa regularly checked in with my wife and kids to make sure everything was okay and even celebrated holidays like Halloween with them. friends Kobe lived to improve other people's lives until his last text message the day after Kobe left.
He was home and I felt totally lost. I couldn't imagine life without the strength and guidance of my best friend as part of my agreement I felt an overwhelming need to connect with something tangible that represented our friendship an image of a voicemail something Kobe left my wife Wiz reminded me of an art book that the author of Kobe had recently given me. I went upstairs and found the book in my library and he opened it and on the inside cover he had written with his own pen these words 2rp my brother, may you always remember Enjoy the journey, especially when it's difficult, love.
Kobe Koby wrote these words to me just a few months ago. Now I realize that maybe they were meant for all of us Koby, my brother, this path is so difficult and they don't know how to continue without you, but I know that you want us to continue in our memories with you, you will give us. strength to move forward somehow and, as you wrote, even in the valley of unimaginable loss, we will somehow find a way to have joy in the next Jacobi side. Coby's father, when Coby retired from playing basketball, people often asked me how he thought he would feed himself. his competitive drive the answers came in a couple of surprising ways: the first was in a new sport, tennis, right after Coby stopped playing for the Lakers, we started playing tennis at a local private club in Newport Beach and started to have epic one-on-one battles.
I learned the game faster than him, so early that he often fell behind and that didn't sit well with Coby, so what does the black mamba do the next few times I get to the club? There she was already waiting for me. Sweating profusely as his tennis skills exploded, I learned that he had secretly approached the club pro for private lessons and shared none of it with me. Typical Mamba mentality, we loved our matches, the stories and memories we shared in those beautiful moments. Back in the California days, it was during one of those tennis conversations that his other new competitive love became so clear: coaching Gianna's youth basketball team.
Kobe constantly talked about his dream of creating the best women's youth basketball team on the planet and he did this starting with his individual work with Gigi and quickly extended to all the girls on Team Mamba long practices every night precision and everything that the individual practice the set play the triangle cut the defensive schemes it was all Kobe's masterpiece I will never forget how Kobe challenged my 12 year old kids all-star team to a match against his Mamba team, yes, girls against boys. Kobe organized the game in a local high school gym with referees, timekeepers and everything he coached from the bench, but he rarely said anything.
On the other hand, the mothers were so well prepared that they functioned like a Swiss. Look, everything seemed written and it exploded. Our boys were devastated. Koby and Gigi took it all in stride. That's what mambas do. Kobe's love for coaching grew and grew and grew. I remember when Kobe turned 40 to celebrate our families flew to Cabo for a long weekend. On one of the most beautiful ocean properties in the world, what was the one thing Kobe wanted to do in this heavenly setting? Watch the Mamba team game film with Gigi and I, of course, breaking down every play.
Kobe's love and passion for this team was the perfect representation. How deeply he loved his daughters, at the center of it all was his precious Gigi, who my wife and I are lucky enough to be godparents from the moment Kristen and I dressed Gigi in her white lace baptismal dress. When she was a baby, she kicked and made her way into our world like only a tourist can. Gigi was an incredible combination of strength, courage, grace and dignity with a witty sense of humor that was simply captivating. She was smiling with her bright eyes and it was literally everything good in the world.
Home Gianna and her sister Natalia have become the gold standard in character and kindness. Gigi was love and grace and, like her father, her life was about blessing others. Simply put, Gigi was Kobe's pride and joy on the basketball court, she could be seen in his every move. she did if basketball was the love that Kobe shared with Gigi with Nani Kobe shared the love of telling stories the two seemed to live scenes from the most beautiful movie ever made. Kobe had a common language based on joy and inspiration they could remember and recite movie lines and sing Disney songs always filled a room with smiles and laughter cobia nanak nani created his own soundtrack for life, it seemed, and in She could often be found dancing together around small children all their days.
Kobe was like Santa Claus dressed in everyday clothes Kobe had an unparalleled energy to excite children and make them smile and laugh during my years as his agent. I was told he was one of the most granted celebrities of our generation when Kobe met a person who made a wish. child It was as if heaven descended into the real world, this exuberant sense of play captured the way Kobe would love and father his daughter, as Kobe Bibi is a wonderful child, every moment of Bibi seems to be born from joy, excitement and amazement. and Kobe had the ability to enter that world with her.
Kobe also had an energy level that matched BB's when the two played. I imagined a world coming to life where toy animals would dance, teacups would sing, and rainbows would shine. I had never done it. I've seen something similar to the two of them playing together. If you think Kobe's hands were good at basketball, you should see what his hands were like with his daughter Coco. He literally had the golden touch. Watching him hug, put Coco to sleep, and pet her made you realize. how sweet Kobe was, he is literally the baby whisperer and in his arms is where you would find Coco, always content with peace.
Kobe would never miss a detail of his daughter's life when she traveled with me for work, spending hours on the phone connecting. and listening to the stories of his days he simply loved his daughters and there was nothing in the world that meant more to him. I remember being in the tunnel with Kobe right there the last time he would wear his purple and gold fist bump Kobe. each of his daughters before running out the tunnel and in Mamba speaks said something like this is what you do when the world tells you that you can no longer do Kobe's sixty points and when that night he is only overshadowed by his love for her family as the best girl in the world, the father, the final side of Kobe, the husband, when God created Kobe, his next great act was to model Vanessa.
I know this because they match perfectly and I have had a front row seat to witness their love for I remember 20 years, since their wedding day in 2001, in typical Kobe style, I wanted to master every detail of that day to reflect their love for Vanessa. One ofThe things he was most excited about was carrying Vanessa in his arms over the threshold of their home as husband and wife for the first time. Vanessa brought out Kobe's romantic side like no one else in the world. He loved celebrating her holidays with her, her birthday anniversary and especially Valentine's Day.
She often called me to brainstorm amazing ideas of hers. for special gifts and romantic occasions with her, he even loved writing her poems and letters and turning them into beautiful memory books. Simply put, Kobe's love for Vanessa was the energy for her life. One story in particular captures the depth of Kobe's love for Vanessa. a period of days where work travel caused Kobe to be away from Vanessa for longer than she wanted. She called me to explain how difficult this period was for him. One night, while talking on the phone, Kobe noticed that there was a grand piano in the hotel suite where he was staying.
Staying home, he left it behind and sat by a high window under the moonlit sky during one of our calls. He shared an idea with me. He said that he hadn't slept much at night because he was visiting and he missed Vee and the girls a lot. he was away he wanted to live in his love for Vanessa so on nights under the moonlit sky he promised to learn by ear how to play the first movement of Beethoven's moonlight sonata when he told me this I thought there was no way knowing that there was no trained musician and that it was a really difficult piece of music to play, but Kobe's passion and love for Vanessa combined with the patience and concentration that only the black mamba has made this seemingly impossible goal a reality, The next morning they called me and touched me.
The first bars the next morning and by the end of the week he had mastered the entire piece and played it for me over the phone without a single mistake in my heart. I knew that moment was one of Kobe's greatest feats because of her deepest love. I mastered one of the greatest piano movements ever written as a symbol of one of the most beautiful loves the world has ever seen too close. I will say this just as the sun illuminates the moon to guide us through the night. Kobe and Gigi will continue to shine. light in all of us, but unlike the Sun, Kobe and Gigi's fuel will never go out because their light is eternal, yes the axis of our world changed that awful morning a few weeks ago, but with the light of Kobe's moon and Gigi we will never have to live in the dark of the night again we will all continue our journey until one day we will be together in heaven again and this time it will be forever I love you dear Kobe and precious Gigi we love you Vanessa Nonnie Bibi Coco and we are here for you with great care we will care until the end of our days, ladies and gentlemen, in a moment here to pay tribute with your own version of Beethoven's moonlight sonata, Miss Alicia Keys, it was Grammy Sunday when We all learned of the tragic loss of Kobe Gianna and her group here at Staples.
We were all preparing for the Grammy Awards and so was our host Alicia Keys when the sad news came, it became clear that as the world began to mourn them here in the house that Kobe built, we had to do more than that and thank you inside. Alicia Keys' strength became a messenger of comfort to the people gathered here that night, as well as to the rest of the world. She's here tonight to perform one of Kobe and Vanessa's favorite musical numbers, Beethoven's immortal Moonlight Sonata. Let's welcome Alicia Keys. amici La Concha and Ricardo, who even uses the way to be a Ranger, this guy here, remember my words, is going to be humble or o'clock in the morning, five o'clock, good morning, recovering 500 shots of titles for the triplet of the Los Angeles Lakers.
NBA Championship, although when I first learned of greatness you would think what I should do to motivate those Tigers. Kindness, but the Lakers evolved into this gift of aha, this not only showed that in cultural children it is more. The most important thing for you is that I have to believe that Kobe right now is looking down from the sky and going. I'm determined to learn to play the Moonlight Sonata better than Alicia Keys, because Chick Hearn is sitting there, listen to it all in 1996, our next speaker faced 18 years old. -Old Kobe Bryant on the court for the first time mid-game while he was playing.
Kobe asked him for advice on his jump shot. Kobe scored 33 points that game against his childhood idol. Michael scored 36 and won the game. Please welcome Michael Jordan. Say good morning but it's late. I thank Vanessa and the Bryan family for the opportunity to speak today. I'm grateful to be here to honor Gigi and celebrate the gift Kobe gave us all. What are you coming? That's the basketball player as a businessman and storyteller and as a father in the game of basketball in life as a father Kobe left nothing in the tank he left everything on the ground maybe it's wise people that Kobe and I were very close friends close but we were very friends Kobe was my dear friend, he was like a little brother.
Everyone always wanted to talk about the comparisons between him and me. I just want to talk about Kobe. You know, we all have brothers and sisters, little brothers, little sisters who, for some reason, always tend to have your things, your closet, your shoes, everything was a nuisance if I can say that word but that annoyance turned into love over time just because of the admiration they have for you as Big Brothers Big Sisters the questions they want to ask you He knew every little detail of the life they were about to embark on. He used to call me and text me at 11:30, 2:30, 3 in the morning, talking about post-up moves, footwork and sometimes the triangle, at first it was aggravating, but.
Then it became a certain passion that this kid had like a passion that you would never know and that's why passion is amazing, if you love something, if you have a strong passion for something, you would go to the extreme to try to understand or try to achieve. it's icecold burgers with cream whatever you like you have the wok you would go get it if you have to beg someone you would go get it what Kobe Bryant was to me was the inspiration that someone really cared about the way I played or the way he wanted to play the game, he wanted to be the best basketball player he could be and when I met him he wanted to be the best big brother he could be to do that, you have to tough it out. the aggravation the late night calls for the stupid questions I was so proud when I met Kobe Bryant that he was just trying to be a better person a better basketball player we talked about business we talked about forgive me we talked about everything and he was just trying to be a better person now that has me I'll have to look at another bad crime for the Knicks I told my wife how are we going to do this because I didn't want to see that in the next three or four years, that's what Kobe Bryant does to me.
I'm pretty sure Vanessa and her friends could say the same. He knows how to reach you in a way that affects you personally, even if it is a headache. ass, but she always had a sense of love for him and the way he can bring out the best in you and he did that for me. I remember maybe a couple of months ago he texted me and said, "I'm trying." to teach my daughter some moves and I don't know what she was thinking or what she was working on, but what were you thinking when you were trying since you've grown up trying to work on your moves?
What age do you say? 12. I told him 12. I was trying to play baseball. He texts me saying I'm laughing out loud and this is at two in the morning, but the thing about him is we could talk about anything related to. basketball, but we can talk about anything related to life and we, as we grew up in life, we actually have friends that we can have conversations like that, well, it's even rare that you can grow up against adversaries and have conversations like that. I went and saw Phil. Jackson in 1999 or maybe 2000, I don't know when Phil was here in Los Angeles and I walked in and Kobe was sitting there and the first thing I did was in a soup.
The first thing Kobe said: did you bring your shoes? No, he was not. He was thinking about playing, but his attitude to competing and playing against someone, he felt like he could improve and improve his game for me, that's what I loved about the kid. I loved the child. The number of times he saw me was a challenge and I admired him. him because his passion is rarely seen in someone who seeks and tries to improve every day, not only in sports but also as a father and as a husband. He inspires me with what he has done and what he shared with Vanessa and what he shared with his children.
I have a thirty-year-old daughter who has just become a grandmother and I have two twins. I have twins at six. I can't wait to get home to become a girl dad and hug them and see the love that didn't show up. The smiles that they bring to us as parents, he taught me that just by watching this tonight, seeing how he responded and reacted to the people that he really loves, these are the things that we will continue to learn from Kobe Bryant to Vanessa Natalia Bianca Capri, my wife and I will keep you closer to our hearts in our prayers, we will always be here for you.
I also want to offer our condolences and support to all the families affected by this enormous tragedy. Kobe gave every ounce of himself to everything he did afterward. basketball, he showed a creative side of himself that I didn't think any of us knew he had when he retired, he seemed so happy that he found new passions and continued to contribute as a coach in his community, most importantly, he was an incredible father, husband incredible. that he dedicated himself to his family and that he loved his daughters with all his heart Kobe never left anything on the court and I think that's what he would want us to do nobody knows how much time we have that's why we must live in the moment We must enjoy the moment that we should reach out, see and spend as much time as we can with our families and friends and the people we love.
Living in the moment means enjoying each and everyone we come into contact with When Kobe Bryant died, a part of me died and as I look in this arena and around the world, a part of you died or else you wouldn't be , those are the memories we have to live with and learn from, I promise you. From today onwards I will live with the memories of knowing that I had a little brother who I tried to help wherever I could, please rest in peace little brother. There have been many greats in the history of the MBA, but none better or more fun to follow. that Kobe and Shaq want three titles in a row together and their names will be linked forever.
Please welcome Shaquille O'Neal. When I imagined talking to a group of people about Kobe Bryant, a glimpse into the context of this Hall of Fame induction, where is he? The best people want to see the Vanessa Foundation live, but I never ever imagined it. We have been watching a celebration of life. Kobe and Gianna Bryant's memorial here at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. There appears to be a slight technical difficulty with the transmission. coming in but we have witnessed some incredible moments it seems like the broadcast just came back let's go back inside Shaquille O'Neal is now going for the greatest basketball of all time and I am proud that no other team has achieved what the three- The Lakers peat have done some checking and Kobe's Lakers did it.
Yes, sometimes as immature children we might say we are fake, ban it or insult each other with casual comments in our field, but make no mistake, even people stopped. We were on bad terms when the cameras turned. He and I winked at each other and said, let's scream, you never took it seriously, really, coke and we always maintained a deep respect and love for each other. Today I won the day Kobe earned my respect. the guys were complaining she said Kobe isn't passing the ball I said I'll talk to him I said Kobe there's no I on the team and Kobe said I know but it's so strange so we're back to a pretty stiff situation and the big shot Baba said just see the bounce, he is not passing Mambo, you were taken away from us too soon, your next chapter of life was just beginning, but now is the time for us to continue your legacy, you yourself said that everything negative pressure challenge is quite an opportunity for me to ascend, so Now follow that wise advice and now rise from the anguish and begin with the healing, just know that we have your back, little brother.
I'll take care of things down here. I'll be sure to show Natalia Bianca and baby Capri all your moves and I promise. I won't teach you my free throw techniques, but for now I'll calm down, because as we speak, Coby and Gigi are holding hands walking towards the nearest basketball court. Colby will show us some Mambo rules today and Gigi will soon be a Kobe teacher or Sky MVP I love you buddy until we meet again rest in peace thank you so much for tonight but you know it's not about my shirts that are hanging there for me, you know, it's about the jerseys that were hanging there before and without them I couldn't be here today, they inspired me to play at a high leveland it's also about the next generation embodying the spirit that exists in those jerseys and carrying this organization forward so that the next 20 years will be better. that in the last 20 years and that's what it's about it's also about the fans it's about the family it's about my wife Vanessa you know guys, but the last game my last game that we had here against the Utah Jazz I was very tired, I came home and I was like, you know what, I don't know if I can do this.
I have one more game left, but I don't have legs and she said: I want to show you something. I have a gift for you for your last game. and she proceeded to show me the row of retired Baylor jerseys for Shaq's magic from Kappa all the personal messages of science, including Michael Jordan's, including the great Bill Russell's, including the great Larry Bird's, and when I saw that , I knew it. that I had to turn it up to turn it off, so thank you baby for being an inspiration to me and lastly, our daughters Natalia Gianna and Bianca, you know, I hope not tonight, you know, you know, if you do work it, work it enough, dreams do come true, thank you so much guys, I love you gentlemen please welcome six time award winner Christina Aguilera Chris Aguilera, thank you Christina, that was beautiful and also in Italian, thank you, thank you very much Thank you very much, Koby.
As you know he had big plans after basketball he had many interests one of them was cinema one of them was the mamasita foundation he published books but he wanted to make a movie he could move around and of course because it is Kobe Bryant the first movie he made he won an Oscar and this one is Kobe's Academy Award-winning movie called Deer Basketball Do Dear Basketball from the moment I started rolling up my dad's socks, I cast an imaginary game when his shots on a Great Western forum I knew one thing was real one that I fell in love with.
I love you so deeply I gave you everything from my mind and body to my spirit to soul like a six year old child deeply in love with you I never saw the end of the tunnel I only saw myself running out of one like that I ran, I ran up and down in a playground meals after every loose ball on the field where we also gave you a heart because it came so much. I played this way not because the talents called me but because you. I did everything for you because that's what you. you are doing it with all the means you feel as alive as you feel you give your boys a sister like a drink and now I always look for her but I can't love you excessively for much longer the season is the only thing I have left to give her my heart can take the beating my mind can take the grind but my body knows it's time to say goodbye nothing is okay I'm ready to let you go I want you to know it now so we can both savor every moment we have left together the good and the bad. bad giving us no matter what I do next the power will always be that boy with the socks rolled up five seconds one my hands five four three two I love you always career well there you have it Thank you Vanessa we love you, we love your children, we will pray for you and by Chester Altobelli, so goodbye to the Mouser families, please support the mama en tres fund, support the mama and mamacita sports foundation, it's what student Gigi would have wanted, thank you for coming and not doing it.
Don't forget to work hard and hug the people you love. Good afternoon everyone. His name echoed through the Staples Center once again. An incredible ceremony honoring an incredible life. Sometimes there were times when you couldn't help but cry and other times there were times when you couldn't help it. I couldn't help but laugh and the mother of the mentality that Kobe Bryant would call a kind of inner spirit when I turned it on here at the Staples Center in the middle of a basketball game we watched with his wife Vanessa Bryan taking the stage in honor . her daughter and her husband the courage it took to speak here is just one moment from her eulogy that was so powerful God knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other you had to take them to heaven together baby take care of us Chichi and I have babysitter baby and Coco we are still the best team, we love you and we miss you boo-boo and Gigi maybe they both rested in peace and we have fun in heaven until we meet again one day we love you both and we miss forever and always mom Vanessa Bryant they are saying goodbye to both their daughter and her husband says calling him and MVD the most valuable dad I want to bring Cana Whitworth one of my colleagues from ABC News and Cana we were watching this together live and as parents and as people who watched Kobe Bryant play, it was incredible to see the courage it took for her to go up there and her words were so powerful.
I agree, I remember we didn't know if she would be there forever. for her to stand up and for her to talk and for her to share some of those really moving memories. I know, at least now, for me. I imagined Gigi doing some of those things that made her happy. She told the story of Gigi spinning it around a track. Even though she gave him the upper hand, I thought those memories were really important and I thought the way she delivered them so powerfully in a packed Staples Center and had to make everyone's heart feel a little calm as she broke for her at the same time. because you know you're going, she's going home to take care of her team, like she said, that was very difficult and I think she was very honest, you know, she called her relationship with Kobe perfect people, perfectly imperfect, yeah, and it was really something probably anyone can relate to and she was down to earth about how Kobe treated her, how he was like her husband to her on Valentine's Day on their anniversaries, talking about him as a father and talking about his daughter in those special moments, but Once again, we can't say it enough, it was truly incredible to see her take the stage to command the Staples Center and show the respect that Kobe and his daughter deserved, I agree and when you say it was like they were A normal couple, right, they tried to paint that image that they are, but they weren't that either.
You know, they were also celebrities and everything was loved by everyone in Los Angeles and when she told the story of how he brought home the notebook accessories. blue dress and because that was the type of man he was, he really had a weakness, I think maybe a lot of us didn't know it until today, although you see that in his interactions with his daughters when you listen to Vanessa talk. About that you really give an idea of ​​what his life was like and what was amazing anyway, there were also some moments where we couldn't stop laughing, yes Shaquille O'Neal and of course with Michael Jordan, one of the greatest players perhaps the greatest player to ever play the game that Kobe chose for him right after Michael ended his career and had some funny and touching words for Kobe Bryant, he's got me.
I'll have to look at another bad crime for the Knicks. When Kobe Bryant died, a part of me died and as I look in this arena around the world, a part of you died or else you wouldn't be here, those are the memories we have to live with and learn from, I promise you. From now on I will live with the memories of knowing that I had a little brother that I tried to help everywhere I could, please rest in peace little paw, rest in peace: Kobe Bryant, all those people who died and that horrible helicopter crash that just happened. behind me you can see the crowd you can hear them cheering for Kobe Bryant almost everyone in the subtype of Kobe Bryant Jersey wearing the number eight wearing the number 24 this was a celebration of his life and it really was a celebration that we witnessed during the last two hours so many fans here very happy all proceeds from this go to the Mamba and mamasita foundation we thank you for watching ABC News live today our coverage of a celebration of life remembering Kobe and Gianna Bryan I'm Tom Yamas at the Staples Center in Los Angeles we now leave you with a few moments from today's incredibly moving ceremony, the celebration of the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant and their friends John Kerry and ELISA Altobelli Sarah and Payton Chester Christina Mauser and Aras Abuyin my girl was a beautiful Daughter and kind, happy, silly, thoughtful, loving sister, she was so full of life and had so much more to offer this world.
In the end, she was a son just starting to grow up and God did it. Most likely, Gigi would have become the best player in history. the WNBA she would have made a big difference I miss you all every day now for my soulmate I was his VB story TSM quezon inna his Queen mom mom and his scheming easkey Babu easkey he always told the girls how beautiful and smart who were Did you teach them how to be brave and how to keep going when things get tough with Kobe and Gigi's moonlight? We will never again have to live in the dark of night.
We will all continue our journey until one day we are together again in heaven. in this time it will be forever I love you dear Coby and precious GG God knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other he had to bring them home to have them together so I miss you take care of our chichi and I have 90 BPM Coco we are still the best team we love you and miss you boo-boo and chichi both rest in peace have fun in heaven until we meet again one day those of us who love you both and miss you good morning and welcome to the celebration of life for Coby and Gianna Bryant and his friends John Kerry and ELISA Altobelli Sarah and Payton Chester Cristina Mouser and Aras abuyin on behalf of Vanessa and the entire Bryant family, we thank you for your thoughts and prayers during

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