The Los Angeles Kings were the first LA-based franchise to
honor Kobe Bryant during a game at Staples Center on Wednesday night.
After the NBA postponed the scheduled Tuesday night game
between the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers, the Kings became the first team
to play a home game at Staples Center following the death of Kobe Bryant,
Gianna Bryant, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina
Mauser, Ara Zobayan, Sarah Chester, and Payton Chester in a helicopter crash in
Calabasas on Sunday.
Before the game, the entire team arrived at Staples Center
wearing Kobe Bryant jerseys, and held a pregame ceremony for the victims, led
by former longtime Kings announcer, Bob Miller.
Miller’s touching speech was followed by a 24-second moment
of silence, and then a video tribute honoring all the victims.
During player warm-ups on the ice, all the Kings players
wore special t-shirts honoring Kobe and Gianna Bryant.
The Kings also created a special logo for Kobe and Gianna
which they proudly displayed on their jerseys during the game, on their
helmets, and on lapel pins that was worn by all coaches, staff members, and NBC
broadcasters, as well as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jon Cooper.
As they were during the Grammys ceremony on Sunday, Kobe
Bryant’s two retired jerseys, number 8 and number 24, remained illuminated for
the entirety of the game. Both jerseys were also on display in the Kings locker
room.
At the end of the first intermission, the Kings played Kobe
Bryant’s postgame speech from his final NBA game in which he scored 60 points. For
those that remember, Bryant finished that speech with the iconic words,
“Mamba Out.” Before dropping the microphone on the Lakers logo at
half court.
The Kings issued the following statement following the
tragic news of Bryant’s death on Sunday:
“The LA Kings and AEG Sports join our Southern
California community and the entire sports and entertainment world in offering
condolences to everyone affected by today’s terrible accident as we have lost a
friend in Kobe Bryant and his young daughter, Gianna.
“Kobe’s incredible passion and leadership are
traits our organization have long admired. We enjoyed working with him and
appreciated the support he showed our hockey club over the years.
“We have lost an unbelievable talent, and a very young and spirited soul, and our thoughts and prayers go to all those grieving as a result of this horrible tragedy, in particular, Vanessa, Natalia, Bianka and Capri Bryant, and the Lakers Family.”
The entirety of the pregame ceremony by the LA Kings can be viewed in the video below:
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Source: NBC Los Angeles