Surrounded by 33,643 red roses - one for each and every point he scored in his 20-year
Career - athletes, musicians, actors, and adoring fans gathered together to mark a year since the tragic passing of one of the NBA’s greatest ever.
Comedian Jimmy Kimmel, WNBA superstar Diana Taurasi, Connecticut Women's Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma, fellow-NBA Hall of Famers Shaquille O'Neal, and Michael Jordan all spoke to pay their homage one year after the tragic helicopter crash which took the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven other people who on board.
Showered in a purple, and with spotlights shining on his two gold jerseys hanging in the rafters, thousands gathered inside and out on the corner of Chick Hearn Court and Figueroa Street for a celebration of life.
February 24, 2020 was a symbolic day combining both Gianna and Kobe Bryant's jersey numbers with the 20 years he played for the all-conquering LA Lakers. And with every major television network around the world carrying the event live, millions of people watched with tears in their eyes for a send-off the likes of which has never been recorded before.
Legends of the music industry too made their telling and heart-felt emotions known too with superstars Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, and Beyoncé all performing – all remembering Kobe Bean Bryant. All reflecting back on the year that was, and the legacy he leaves behind.
During the celebration of life ceremony at the Staples Centre, widow and mother, Vanessa, still grieving a year on said: "God knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other. He had to bring them home together." Reflecting on first hearing the news of the tragic accident, current Lakers' forward Anthony Davis mused: "I knew he was known and popular, but I didn't know how impactful he was worldwide.
"He inspired so many people, and that's why so many people feel the pain the basketball community felt last year. As we approach his one-year anniversary, it saddens our hearts to actually come to the realization that he's gone." But Kobe's legacy goes on - beyond basketball.
After retiring, age 37, he became a filmmaker and won an Oscar. He also became a storyteller – and published many books. He also became a philanthropist and established the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation and even began coaching 13-year-old Gianna's youth basketball team. On the day they died, he was travelling to a basketball tournament to coach her and her teammates.
Michael Jordan, who ‘wore’ the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) tag just as Kobe was establishing himself as a Lakers all-time geat, said: "Kobe gave every last ounce of himself to whatever he was doing. After basketball, he showed his creative side.
“In retirement, he seemed so happy. He found new passions and continued to give back as a coach to his daughters. More importantly, he was an amazing dad and an amazing husband. He loved his daughters with all his heart."
The memories of Kobe and Gianna Bryant will live on in the hearts of people the world over for what they represented – on and off the court – for generations to come.