Shaq Delivers Hilarious And Heartfelt Tribute To Kobe Bryant
Among the many faces present at “A Celebration of Life: Remembering Kobe and Gianna Bryant,” the words from those who knew Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant most intimately have carried extra weight in light of what was still ahead for them before their tragic passing.
The basketball community has been hit the hardest by their loss, and a number of some of the NBA’s greatest players and Kobe’s closest teammates came together to commemorate his memory. One of the memorial service’s more lighthearted moments came after NBA icon Michael Jordan took the podium. The six-time NBA champion shared some heartrending sentiments about how Kobe was like a little brother to him.
“What he accomplished as a basketball player, as a businessman, as a storyeller and as a father, in the game of basketball and life as a parent, Kobe left nothing in the tank. He left it all on the floor," Jordan said. "Everyone always wanted to talk about the comparisons between he and I. I just wanted to talk about Kobe." At one point, the NBA great was overcome with emotion but coolly played it off with a well-timed joke.
“Now Kobe got me out here about to be another meme,” the NBA great wisely cracked, misty-eyed, with a grin on his face.
Shaquille O’Neal approached the podium next where he shared an endearing moment from his time with Kobe as a teammate on the Los Angeles Lakers that caused the audience to erupt into howling laughter. Shaq recounted the time Kobe earned his respect when the other players on the team were complaining about Kobe not passing the ball. Shaq recalled assuring his teammates that he would talk to Kobe about it.
“The guys were complaining about Kobe not passing the ball. I said I’ll talk to him,” Shaq reminiscenced. “I said ‘Kobe, there’s no ‘I’ in team and Kobe said ‘I know, but there’s a M-E in that m**herf**ker.”
Shaq finished his speech with a promise that he will look out for Vanessa and the girls, and carry on his “little brother’s” legacy. He hilariously added that he will make sure they don’t inherit his free-throw technique, which elicited more laughter from the audience.
“Kobe, you’re heaven’s MVP. I love you, my man. Until we meet again, rest in peace Kobe” he concluded.
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Although Shaq kept his speech brief, it was a much-needed lighthearted moment that exemplifies the multi-faceted person that made Kobe Bryant who he was.
Long live the Black Mamba.
