Kobe’s memory honored
Kobe Bryant’s wife remembered him as a devoted father and husband who arrived early for school pickups and wrote heartfelt cards and letters.
Rob Pelinka, Bryant’s longtime agent and close friend, recalled his final texts from the NBA superstar minutes before he was killed last month in a helicopter crash.
Bryant was attempting to secure an internship for the daughter of another friend who was sitting with him in the chopper.
Michael Jordan called Bryant “a little brother” and said that when he died, “a piece of me died.”
Bryant’s athletic achievements were only part of the reason roughly 20,000 people gathered Monday for a public memorial service honoring him at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.
The event offered another chance to celebrate Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and the other seven victims of the crash with tears, memories and laughs.
“I couldn’t see him as a celebrity, nor just an incredible basketball player,” Vanessa Bryant said. “He was my sweet husband and the beautiful father of my children. He was mine. He was my everything.”
The ceremony included musical numbers by Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera. The event concluded with a screening of “Dear Basketball,” Bryant’s Academy Award-winning short film about reluctantly saying goodbye to his passion upon his retirement from the Lakers in 2016.
Fans, many wearing Bryant’s jersey or team colors, filled the seats at the arena where Bryant played for 17 seasons of a two-decade NBA career spent entirely with the Lakers.
The mourners included Lakers legends Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Pau Gasol. NBA commissioner Adam Silver joined Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Phil Jackson, Dwyane Wade and dozens of current NBA players. Celebrities such as Kanye West, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez also attended.
Vanessa Bryant provided a poignant window into the family’s life with Gianna and her three sisters — Natalia, Bianka and Capri.
“God knew they couldn’t be on this Earth without each other,” said Vanessa Bryant, who had been with Kobe since 1999. “He had to bring them home to have them together. Babe, you take care of our Gigi. And I got Nati, Bibi and Coco. We’re still the best team.”
76ers
Joel Embiid scored a career-high 49 points as Philadelphia beat visiting Atlanta, 129-112. The 76ers were missing All-Star Ben Simmons for the second time in three games because of a back injury. Simmons had tests Sunday and needs further evaluation. Coach Brett Brown wouldn’t speculate on the extent of the injury or how long Simmons will be out.
Pacers
Guard Jeremy Lamb will miss the rest of this season with a left knee injury. He has a torn anterior cruciate ligament, a torn lateral meniscus and a lateral fracture in the bone.