Kobe Bryant: Minnesota Timberwolves make poignant tribute to LA Lakers legend
Tuesday 28 January 2020 08:41, UK
The tributes to Kobe Bryant continued through the NBA on Monday, with perhaps the most poignant moment taking place in Minnesota.
After the Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns sent the opening tip against the Sacramento Kings to team-mate Andrew Wiggins, Wiggins placed the ball on the free-throw line as the team took an eight-second violation.
It was at that line where Bryant made two free throws in 2014 to pass Michael Jordan and move to No 3 on the NBA's all-time scoring list. The night before Bryant died, the Lakers' LeBron James passed Bryant to move to the No 3 slot on that same list.
Bryant, 41, was one of nine people killed Sunday when the helicopter they were traveling in crashed in Calabasas, California. His 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, also was among those who perished.
In Detroit, the Pistons opened the first game of the day by taking the floor during warm-ups wearing jerseys with the numbers 8 and 24 - the two numbers Bryant wore in his career - and the name "BRYANT" on the back, and wearing them during 24 seconds of silence before the game.
The teams then traded 24- and 8-second violations to start the game, similar to what teams did Sunday after learning of Bryant's death.
The Cavaliers' Larry Nance Jr, a team-mate with Bryant as a rookie in 2015-16, could been seen with tears in his eyes while sitting on the bench after the violations.
In Chicago, the Bulls took an eight-second violation to start the game, and San Antonio returned the favour by taking a 24-second violation.
The Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder did the same in OKC, as did the Orlando Magic and host Miami Heat.
Chris Paul sat out for the Thunder as he mourns the loss of Bryant. His absence, officially cited as personal reasons by the team, is his first missed game of the season. Paul and Bryant grew close while playing on two Olympic teams together.
The Heat also played a tribute video of both Kobe and Gianna Bryant before the opening tip.
Among the tributes on Sunday was Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's announcement his club would retire the No 24 in Bryant's honour.
