NBA players and coaches’ minds were on the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, on Sunday.
Kyrie Irving was unable to play in Brooklyn’s game against the New York Knicks.
Spencer Dinwiddie was emotional after the Nets’ game at Madison Square Garden.
Kenny Atkinson said Brooklyn’s locker room was silent prior to the game. He and his staff didn’t know what to say to his players.
Following the loss to the Knicks, like Dinwiddie, Atkinson shared a special moment he had with Bryant with reporters:
My last moment, he was the Barclays Center — I didn’t even think he knew my name, and he came up [and said,] ‘Hey coach.’ Gave me a hug. … I think we were [like,] ‘Wow, he even knows my name?’ … I ran right home after the game and told my wife, ‘Kobe a little hug there.’ So that’s pretty cool.
Kenny Atkinson shares a memorable Kobe Bryant moment. pic.twitter.com/1J0NO9pPTM
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) January 27, 2020
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