LOS ANGELES • With tears streaming down his face, Michael Jordan stood before an arena full of mourners on Monday to reveal to the world that he and Kobe Bryant were "very close friends".
Public speaking engagements are rare for Jordan, but the Basketball Hall of Famer and owner of the Charlotte Hornets joined a star-studded line-up of eulogists at the Staples Centre memorial, speaking for 10 minutes about Bryant and the bond they built.
"When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died," the 57-year-old said.
Bryant, 41, was killed in a Jan 26 helicopter crash along with his daughter Gianna, 13, and seven others aboard. He had arrived in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a 17-year-old in 1996, openly determined to try to outdo Jordan's achievements with the Chicago Bulls.
Referring to Bryant's obsessive drive to compete with him, Jordan said: "To me, that's what I loved about the kid. No matter where he saw me, it was a challenge."
He began to break down almost immediately after launching into his speech, and, about halfway through, he did not hesitate to poke fun at himself for being unable to hold his emotions together.
Acknowledging the infamous Crying Jordan meme that has circulated for years on social media, he said: "Now he's got me - I'm going to have to look at another crying meme for the next..."
Huge applause from the crowd seemed to cut him off mid-sentence. "I told my wife I wasn't going to do this," he continued, "because I didn't want to see that for the next three or four years. That is what Kobe Bryant does to me."
He told stories of Bryant bombarding him with late-night calls and text messages after he stopped playing, seeking advice on post-up moves, footwork and playing in coach Phil Jackson's triangle offence, which Jordan had mastered while winning six championships with the Bulls in the 1990s.
"He wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be," Jordan said. "As I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be."
A gallery of basketball legends, including Magic Johnson and Bryant's former teammate Shaquille O'Neal, joined thousands of fans at "A Celebration of Life" memorial at the stadium, Bryant's home arena during most of his storied 20-season career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant's widow, Vanessa - who has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the operator of the helicopter - spoke about the pain of losing Gianna, "an amazingly sweet and gentle soul", and the husband she called her "soulmate".
"He was my everything," she said of Bryant, a five-time NBA champion and fourth-highest scorer in league history with 33,643 points.
"God knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other. He had to bring them home to heaven together."
The memorial opened with a performance by singer Beyonce and a montage of Bryant's match highlights.
Among the celebrities in attendance were filmmaker Spike Lee, a close friend who directed a documentary on his life, and rapper Snoop Dogg, an avid Lakers fan.
A-list Hollywood stars like Jennifer Lopez and Queen Latifah, Grammy winner Alicia Keys and late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel were also present.
Inside the Staples Centre, the mood was sombre. Concession stands were closed and mobile phone use discouraged. People were not allowed in if they arrived late.
Many of the fans lucky enough to nab one of the much sought-after 20,000 tickets wore the purple-and-gold colours of the Lakers as they headed for the 2½-hour ceremony being held amid tight security.
Since his death, tributes to Bryant have appeared across Los Angeles, with his numbers displayed on the Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel, city buses bearing "RIP Kobe" signs and purple-and-gold lights added to the pylons at Los Angeles International airport.
"In the game of basketball, in life, as a parent, Kobe left nothing in the tank," added Jordan, articulating one of the reasons Bryant's stardom transcended sports.
"He left it all on the floor."
NYTIMES, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
