Sports fans showed an outpouring of love forKobe Bryantin the wake of his tragicdeathover the weekend.
As news of the basketball legend’sdeathbroke on Sunday morning, masses of people flocked to pay their respects at the Staples Center in Los Angeles — the arena that served as Bryant’s home court for his20 seasonsin the NBA.
Coincidentally, the Staples Center was host to the2020 Grammy Awardson Sunday night, making the sports complex even more crowded as the music awards show drew celebrities and spectators along with Bryant mourners.
Between arranging flowers and mementos, chanting “Kobe” together and comforting one another, fans came together outside the Staples Center for a touching display of solidarity amid tragedy.
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Earlier in the day, modelChrissy Teigen, who was on her way to attend the Grammys, described the mood in L.A. as emotionally affected.
“Downtown right now and nothing feels more unimportant than what we are doing today,” shewroteon Twitter. “This is absolutely terrible. Everyone is numb.”
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During the Grammys ceremony, Bryant received apassionate tributefrom hostAlicia Keysandother music stars, both on the red carpet beforehand and throughout performances during the night.
Bryant’s jerseys — Nos. 8 and 24 —stayed illuminated throughout the showwhen, typically, on-display jerseys are dimmed during concerts and other events held in the arena. The choice was a subtle nod to the late basketball star’s enduring legacy.
“Words cannot express his impact on our Players, the NBA and the game of basketball,” read the statement. “This is a monumental loss for the entire basketball community and our hearts are quite simply broken. We send love and prayers out to his wife Vanessa and the entire family.”
source: people.com
