Kobe Bryant honored by Nike at New York Fashion Week show with kids wearing his jersey
KOBE Bryant was honored with a tribute from Nike during New York Fashion week, as a group of kids wearing his jersey on stage during the clothing company’s 2020 Forum.
Video shared on social media showed a group of six kids clad in gold and purple Lakers jerseys with Kobe’s numbers, 8 and 24, walk on stage and stand to face the audience.
The kids stood in silence as an honor to the late basketball legend, who died nearly two weeks ago on Jan. 26 in a tragic helicopter accident along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.
Kobe’s entire 20-year career in the NBA was spent playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nike’s tribute came in the middle of the company’s 2020 Forum event Wednesday, during an unveiling of new apparel, including athletic clothing for this year’s summer olympics in Tokyo, New York Times Fashion reported.
Following the accident, the city of Los Angeles will host a public memorial on Feb. 24 at Staples Center, the “House Kobe Built,” for the nine victims killed in the crash.
The seven other victims killed include pilot Ara Zobayan, Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and their daughter Alyssa, Christina Mauser, Sara Chester and her daughter Payton.
Hours after his death, fans swarmed Staples Center and left behind candles, more than 1,000 basketballs, and handwritten messages as a memorial to Kobe.
The makeshift memorial outside the Staples Center was dismantled earlier this week.
As it was taken down, Kobe’s widowed wife Vanessa requested to keep some of the items left behind to be sent to her family as momentos.
The seven other victims killed include pilot Ara Zobayan, Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, their daughter Alyssa, Christina Mauser, Sara Chester and her daughter Payton.
Gigi’s own school honored her in a ceremony after the accident, and announced her basketball jersey would be retired.
Tributes to the basketball player and the others killed have gone on all around the country in the nearly two weeks since the accident.
At Sunday’s Super Bowl game, the victims were honored with a moment of silence.
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Officials are investigating the event surrounding the accident.
At the time, the LAPD’s own fleet was grounded due to thick fog, raising questions as to why Kobe’s chopper was allowed to fly.
A date has not been officially announced for Kobe and Gigi’s funerals, but Vanessa Bryant is working every day to make arrangements.
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