Tag: mamba day

LeBron walks into Lakers-Blazers Game 4 with Kobe Bryant 8/24 jersey

LeBron James pulled up to their big Game 4 with the limited edition jersey released on Monday to honor Kobe Bryant.

The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into a game in which they can stifle whatever hopes the Portland Trail Blazers have to make this series interesting as they look to go up 3-1 in their best-of-seven series. But tonight’s Game 4 will also be a stage for something beyond tonight’s game between the Lakers and Blazers. It will also be a celebration and a living memorial for the late Kobe Bryant, who passed away earlier this year in a helicopter crash. LeBron James came to the came honoring Bryant, wearing a Kobe version of the “Black Mamba” uniform all of the Lakers will be wearing on the court tonight.

Anthony Davis, a fellow Nike athlete, also came to the game with the Kobe jersey on.

The death of Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant has weighed heavily on the Lakers, as well as the rest of the NBA, all season long. For the first time in its history, the league is playing games around his birthday, which was yesterday and is honoring him in this strange time.

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Vanessa Bryant shares heartbreaking message for Kobe on Mamba Day: ‘Life truly isn’t fair’

“This is just senseless.”

Kobe Bryant played his final NBA game four years ago on April 13, 2016. It was the kind of ending that served as a fitting conclusion to Kobe’s legendary career.

The “Mamba out” sign-off after the 60-point finale motivated the Lakers and Nike to recognize April 13 as “Mamba Day.”

But following Kobe’s tragic death in a January helicopter crash that also claimed the lives of his daughter, Gianna, and seven others, Mamba Day 2020 had an entirely different significance for Vanessa Bryant and her family.

It was another day of mourning and reflection.

Vanessa took to Instagram on Monday to recognize Mamba Day while also reflecting on Kobe’s retirement — he left the game to spend time with his family. Vanessa added that she wished she could go back to Jan. 26 everyday and change what happened.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-7erxtDRAB/

She wrote:

Mamba Day

My husband worked his ass off for 20 years. Gave it his all. All he wanted was to spend time with our girls and me to make up for lost time. He wanted to be there for every single milestone and special moment in our girls lives. He only got to enjoy 3 years and 9 months of retirement. We had 2 more daughters, he won an Oscar, he opened Granity studios, he became a 5x best selling author and coached Gianna’s basketball team in that time. She worked hard and gave her all 7 days a week just like her daddy. I wish I could back to that morning, every day. I wish they had a normal local game on 1/26. Life truly isn’t fair. This is just senseless.

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