Basketball: Vanessa Bryant remembers Kobe, Gianna on anniversary of deaths

People gather in front of a mural of NBA star Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, in downtown Los Angeles, to mark their one-year death anniversary, on Jan 26, 2021. PHOTO: SLOE_MOTIONS/AFP

(REUTERS) - Vanessa Bryant took to social media on Tuesday (Jan 26) to share her thoughts on the one-year anniversary of the death of her husband, Kobe, and daughter, Gianna.

Vanessa was not alone as other sports teams and leagues also remembered the National Basketball Association (NBA) legend and his daughter, who perished along with seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on Jan 26, 2020.

"I miss my baby girl and Kob-Kob so much, too," Vanessa wrote on Instagram.

"I will never understand why/how this tragedy could've happened to such beautiful, kind and amazing human beings. It still doesn't seem real. Kob, we did it right. Gigi, you still make mommy proud. I love you!"

Kobe was a five-time NBA champion and three-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player during his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

He was elected posthumously to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

The Lakers' players were given the day off on Tuesday prior to Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers to "manage that day however they see fit", coach Frank Vogel said.

"It's not really a day of remembrance," he said.

"This is more of a sombre tone type of day."

The Lakers posted a picture to their official Twitter account of Kobe kissing the forehead of Gianna while sitting courtside at a game.

The National Hockey League's Philadelphia Flyers and Philadelphia Eagles paid homage to Bryant, who was beloved in the City of Brotherly Love.

Bryant attended Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, a suburb of Philadelphia.

Embed Instagram
Embed Instagram

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.