It seems surreal that Tuesday is the one-year anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s passing. Of course, it still feels surreal that Bryant is gone after a helicopter crash that also took his daughter, Gianna, and seven others, but for many in the basketball world, Tuesday offered up the opportunity to look back on Bryant’s life and tenure in and around the NBA.
A number of individuals, whether they be current and former players and coaches or larger institutions, took to their Twitter accounts to offer up a kind word to Bryant and the rest of those who passed away.
On this day, one year later, we want to remember not only Kobe but Gianna Bryant, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, and Ara Zobayan.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) January 26, 2021
(2)4 & 8πππ»π€
— Breanna Stewart (@breannastewart) January 26, 2021
Rest In Peace my guy…ππ½
Today we honor and remember you and Gigi!! pic.twitter.com/2GVoq1VQTy— Vince Carter (@mrvincecarter15) January 26, 2021
LONG LIVE KOB π
— London Perrantes (@London_Tyus) January 26, 2021
We miss you Kobe and Gigi ππ½
— Shaun Livingston (@ShaunLivingston) January 26, 2021
Today we remember Kobe, Gigi and the seven others whose lives we lost a year ago. Their legacies will live on π#MambaForever pic.twitter.com/2MPCEp1kOt
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) January 26, 2021
Always in my thoughts. pic.twitter.com/DWcxRbztWr
— George Karl (@CoachKarl22) January 26, 2021
Forever. pic.twitter.com/9bFMLg7Ier
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) January 26, 2021
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) January 26, 2021
Still doesnβt seem real. RIP to those lost. MAMBA FOREVER!!! ππ€ @ Kobe Bryant's Legacy 8/24 https://t.co/UlGZxqh50W
— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) January 26, 2021
ππ
— Jalen Brunson (@jalenbrunson1) January 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/JordanClarksons/status/1354096993031778305
Forever in our hearts π€
Our love goes out to the Bryant, Chester, Altobelli, Mauser, and Zobayan families. pic.twitter.com/36hRD7Ygm8
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) January 26, 2021
βThrough love, continue to persevereβ – Kobe Bryant
— Larry Nance (@Larrydn22) January 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/Larrydn22/status/1354098835434463233
— Richaun Holmes (@Rich_Holmes22) January 26, 2021
Another day, another opportunity.
— π Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) January 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/hbarnes/status/1354104438009556998
8 minutes and 24 seconds of our Kobe memories#MambaForever ππ pic.twitter.com/P96zqyBoAT
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) January 26, 2021
The game will never be the same…. RIP ππ€π pic.twitter.com/T4AISokWaB
— Andre Drummond (@AndreDrummond) January 26, 2021
Jan. 26th π
— Miles Bridges (@MilesBridges) January 26, 2021
We all miss the Great Kobe Bryant and his legacy will continue to live within all of us, but also make sure we Pray for Vanessa and her family and all the families that lost love ones on this day last year. πππΎππΎ
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 26, 2021
R.I.P. Kobe ππ½
— Frank Mason (@FrankMason0) January 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/IamFelicio/status/1354127519226716161
24 Foreverπππ½
— Devin Vassell (@Yvngdevo) January 26, 2021
π€πππΎ @excelsm pic.twitter.com/xO5btH5D8c
— Andre Drummond (@AndreDrummond) January 26, 2021
In an interview with TMZ, one of Bryant’s former coaches, Byron Scott, discussed the importance No. 24 had in his life, to the point that he finds himself thinking about who he calls an “unbelievable person” on a daily basis.
“There’s two people that passed away in my life,” Scott said. “My mom, who I think about all the time, and ‘Showboat.’ I think about him every day. It’s something about him that, in my life, every day something brings me back to a memory of KB.”
The Lakers, unsurprisingly, offered up a tribute, too, calling both Kobe and Gianna “family,” a sentiment that the NBA shared.
Family is Forever π€ pic.twitter.com/PH6R4sCrve
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 26, 2021
ππ https://t.co/sxoXXN3wDq
— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2021
Honoring both Bryants was also done by another team for which Kobe suited up, USA Basketball, and by another one of the many residents of the Staples Center, the L.A. Sparks.
Forever Mamba πΊπΈπ
β€οΈ Kobe π€ Gigi π pic.twitter.com/UCsOYUniDt
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) January 26, 2021
He dawned a new dynasty for the USA Men's National Team. πΊπΈπ
Kobe Bryant loved rising to the occasion for his team & country more than anyone.
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) January 26, 2021
Mamba and Mambacita forever ποΈ pic.twitter.com/cDlgJwbE2Y
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) January 26, 2021
UConn women’s basketball decided to remember Gianna, a well-documented Huskies fan who had ambitions of suiting up for Geno Auriemma’s program some day.
Gigi wrote this to the team after the Final Four loss in 2017. We remember her positive, shining energy.
She loved being around the Huskies, and we loved being around her.
We miss her. Sheβs forever one of us. π€ pic.twitter.com/CUaPmXWDuD
— UConn Womenβs Basketball (@UConnWBB) January 26, 2021
Even FIBA chimed in, recalling one specific Kobe moment from a game that the United States played against Brazil back in 2007.
βYou asked for my hustle, I gave you my heart.β#MambaForever πβΎ pic.twitter.com/VImHQL4MdH
— FIBA (@FIBA) January 26, 2021
It seems certain that Tuesday will feature dozens more tributes to Bryant as the day goes on, both on social media and during the three games that the league has on its schedule this evening. Then again, it’s hard to watch or follow basketball without seeing someone pay tribute to Bryant in some form or fashion.