The Los Angeles Lakers were on a team flight from Philadelphia to Los Angeles on Sunday when news of Kobe Bryant’s death came out, and it was clear the players were shaken upon their arrival back home.
LeBron James was in tears as he departed the team plane, embracing several people on the tarmac while wiping his eyes.
LeBron James in tears exiting team plane. Someone he looked up to in Kobe! #RIP pic.twitter.com/YcX03uhSOZ
— Cleveland Sports Talk (@CLEsportsTalk) January 26, 2020
James looked up to Bryant immensely. In fact, on Saturday, James had paid tribute to Bryant when passing Kobe on the career scoring list. Bryant’s final tweet was congratulating James on that feat. Add in the fact that James joined Bryant’s organization and has been working to bring the Lakers back to relevance and this becomes an even more emotional scenario for James and his teammates.
More Larry Brown Sports coverage of Kobe Bryant’s death:
Other victims of the helicopter crash:
– John Altobelli, junior college baseball coach, also died in helicopter crash
– Christina Mauser, girls’ basketball coach, among the helicopter crash victims
Tributes to Kobe:
– Dallas Mavericks retire Kobe Bryant’s No. 24 jersey
– Shaq posts heartfelt tribute to Kobe Bryant
– Michael Jordan releases statement on death of ‘little brother’ Kobe Bryant
– Video: Raptors, Spurs start game with amazing tribute to Kobe Bryant
– Video: Doc Rivers breaks down crying talking about Kobe Bryant
– Phil Jackson calls Kobe Bryant ‘a chosen one’ in statement on his death
– NBA commissioner Adam Silver issues statement on death of Kobe Bryant
– Video: Dwyane Wade posts emotional message reacting to Kobe Bryant’s death
– Kendrick Perkins extends olive branch to Kevin Durant after Kobe Bryant’s death
– Video: Emotional Mike Breen sums up NBA world’s emotions about Kobe Bryant’s death
– Trae Young’s huge game was full of Kobe Bryant-related statistical coincidences
More coverage:
– Media errors, rumors, poor judgment run rampant in reporting of Kobe Bryant news
– Kobe Bryant checked in on Shaq’s son Shareef morning of helicopter crash
– No, Rick Fox did not die in helicopter crash that killed Kobe, Gianna Bryant
– Lakers fans start memorial to Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center
– Kobe Bryant’s last tweet was congratulating LeBron James on passing him
– Sports world stunned over Kobe Bryant news
– Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash – dead at 41
Don’t miss any news
– Follow Larry Brown Sports on Twitter
– Join our Facebook group
– Download the Larry Brown Sports app on your iOS device
– Subscribe to our newsletter (sign up here)
