UTAH JAZZ
Jazz, Clarkson Pay Tribute To Kobe Bryant
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz and guard Jordan Clarkson paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant, who, along with his daughter Gigi and seven other victims died in a tragic helicopter crash one year ago today.
The team released a video with images of memorials for Bryant, and highlights of his career, with Clarkson talking about the time the two players spent together with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Clarkson spent the first two seasons of his career in Los Angeles alongside Bryant.
“We all got a piece of him that I know we’ll never, ever forget.”@jordanclarksons reflects on his time with Kobe and how the Laker legend forever changed him 💜💛#MambaForever pic.twitter.com/Ac0WMkirB1
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) January 26, 2021
“Last time I talked to him was at the Mamba center,” a teary-eyed Clarkson said. “I remember the last words he told me it was ‘Bro, I’m pulling for you. Keep going, you know I’m always here if you need me.'”
Bryant spent 20 seasons with the Lakers where he won five championships, the 2008 NBA MVP, and at the time he retired, the league’s third-leading scorer of all-time. Fellow Lakers LeBron James would pass Bryant on the all-time scoring the night before his death.
“Being a mentor to all of us young guys that were there in LA,” Clarkson remembered. “Me, Julius [Randle], D’Angelo [Russell], Larry Nance — we all got a piece of him that I know will never ever forget especially now and he’ll always, always be remembered.”
Fittingly, Clarkson and Randle will be reunited on the one-year anniversary as the Jazz host the Knicks on Tuesday night.
NBA Teams Pay Tribute To Kobe Bryant
Team’s across the NBA paid tribute to Bryant on social media on the one year anniversary of the incident.
The Lakers posted a simple, but touching photo of Bryant kissing Gigi on the head as they sat courtside at a game.
The caption read, “Family is Forever 🖤”
Family is Forever 🖤 pic.twitter.com/PH6R4sCrve
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 26, 2021
The Knicks posted a photo of Bryant on the jumbotron at Madison Square Garden.
The caption had a purple and yellow heart in honor of the Lakers’ colors.
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 26, 2021
The Philadelphia 76ers posted a photo of Bryant sitting in his old locker room at Lower Merion High school.
Bryant grew up in Pennsylvania and attended high school before skipping college and making the leap directly to the NBA.
The post was captioned, “Mamba Forever.”
Mamba Forever. pic.twitter.com/8I8lfrRfnp
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 26, 2021
