LOS ANGELES (AFP) - NBA superstar LeBron James said on Monday (Jan 27) he was "heartbroken and devastated" over the death of Kobe Bryant, vowing in an Instagram post to continue Bryant's legacy with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant, a five-time NBA champion in 20 seasons with the Lakers, died Sunday at age 41 in a helicopter crash only hours after Lakers star James overtook him for third on the league's all-time scoring list.
"I'm heartbroken and devastated my brother," James posted. "Man I love you big bro.
"I promise you I'll continue your legacy man! You mean so much to us all here especially #LakerNation and it's my responsibility to put this shit on my back and keep it going!!
"Please give me the strength from the heavens above and watch over me! I got US here!"
Bryant retired in 2016, the same year James fulfilled his life dream of winning an NBA title with his hometown club, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James led the Cavaliers into the NBA Finals the next two seasons, losing each time to Golden State, and in 2018 opted to leave Cleveland and join the Lakers.
This season, the Lakers have the second-best record in the NBA at 36-10 to lead the Western Conference, with James averaging 25.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and a league-best 10.7 assists a game.
The NBA postponed Tuesday's scheduled Lakers game against the Los Angeles Clippers in the wake of Bryant's tragic death.
NBA players paid tribute to Bryant at Monday's games. In pre-game introductions, Detroit Pistons players wore jerseys with only the numbers 8 and 24, but they lacked Bryant's magic on the court, falling to visiting Cleveland 115-100.
Games began with teams exchanging 24-second shot clock violations or eight-second violations for not advancing the ball beyond the mid-court line - an homage to 24 and 8, the two jersey numbers Bryant wore for the Lakers.
At Minneapolis, the Timberwolves put a unique spin on the idea after winning an opening tip-off against Sacramento.
Minnesota's Andrew Wiggins took the ball and placed it on the free throw line upon the very spot Bryant sank two free throws on December 14, 2014, to move past Michael Jordan and become the NBA's number three all-time scorer.
Bryant kept that spot on the NBA career points list until just hours before his death, when he was passed by current Lakers superstar LeBron James.
Sacramento defeated Minnesota 133-129 in overtime, but just as in host Chicago's 110-109 win over San Antonio, heartache over Bryant's death tempered the joy of victory.
"There will never be another Kobe Bryant," Chicago's Zach LaVine said. "There's only one person like that ever. He made an impact on people off the court and in basketball as well.
"Kids growing up in the 1980s, they wanted to be like Mike (Jordan). We all wanted to be like Kobe."
Dallas won 107-97 at Oklahoma City with the host Thunder playing without forward Chris Paul. He missed his first game of the season mourning the death of Bryant, his friend and teammate on the 2008 and 2012 US Olympic gold medal squads.
At Salt Lake City, the Houston Rockets had a career-high 50 points from 12th-year veteran Eric Gordon in a 126-117 victory over Utah. But he was still struggling to wrap his thoughts around Bryant's death.
"I'm still hurting for that," Gordon said. "I've known him since I was in college. It's a tough day for everybody."
The Rockets were without NBA scoring leader James Harden, out with a thigh bruise, and Russell Westbrook, taking a planned rest game. Gordon led the Rockets in beating a Jazz club that had won 14 of 15 prior starts and nine in a row at home.
Utah fans applauded the game-opening Bryant tribute, one waving a sign saying, "Salt Lakers feel it too."
"He touched so many people, truly a unique human being," said Jazz coach Quin Snyder, a Lakers assistant coach guiding Bryant in the 2011-12 season.
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