On Jan. 26 NBA legend Kobe Bryant's life was cut tragically short. But man did the five-time champion and married father of four pack a lot of living into his 41 years.
And so years later, James continued,"it was a dream come true" to join Bryant on the Olympic team, standing shoulder to shoulder with his idol on the podium as he nabbed the first of his two gold medals.
The news was unimaginable. Someone as seemingly invincible as Bryant, an athlete who nicknamed himself Black Mamba in reference to the agility and aggressiveness of the venomous African snake, wasn't supposed to perish. Certainly not at 41 when he had so much more to accomplish, so much more life to live.
"Earlier today, Los Angeles, America and the whole wide world lost a hero. And we're literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built," host A decade into his professional career, he changed his number from 8 to 24, the one he'd worn in high school, to acknowledge his growth as both a player and a man. No matter, both were retired by the Lakers in 2017."For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning. He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game," NBA commissionersaid in a statement.
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