Celebrities Pay Tribute to Kobe Bryant During Pre-Super Bowl Party
By TheBlast Staff on February 1, 2020 at 6:57 PM EST
Gettyimages | Christian Petersen
On January 26, Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, and seven other people were killed in a helicopter crash. Ever since learning of their tragic deaths, there have been tributes paid all over Hollywood by different celebrities, the Los Angeles Lakers who Bryant played basketball for, and the Super Bowl is paying a tribute to them during the halftime show on February 2.
Not only did these celebrities and Bryant's basketball team, the L.A Lakers paid a tribute to him and Gianna as well as the rest of the victims, but other celebrities who knew Bryant also paid tribute to him, Gianna, and the remaining seven people who were also killed in the crash during a pre-Super Bowl game party.
Gettyimages | Harry How
Comedian Kevin Hart was the first to pay tribute to Bryant, Gianna, and the other victims by standing up during the pre-Super Bowl game party held at Fanatic's in Miami, Florida and making a speech about them and how much they meant to him. He said, "I just want to keep everybody in a positive, amazing place. And celebrate life today, goddamnit. If you love Kobe Bryant, this is a day to spread his positivity through the air. It’s love. Let’s be f* connected on the highest level. "
He continued his speech while being surrounded by Bryant fans who were wearing jerseys with the number 24, "We lost a legend but we want to make sure that legend lives on forever and it starts with us remembering one thing and that’s equality. Let’s feast. Let’s love. This room is an example of it. Hold that example HIGH. You hear me? Live, love and laugh. Kobe rest in peace, we love you. Continue the night, that’s all guys.”
He made this speech by standing up in front of everyone and holding a jersey with the number 24 on it.
Gettyimages | Rob Carr
47-year-old Shaquille O'Neal, who was a teammate of Bryant's also paid tribute to Kobe by standing on the stage and making a speech about the legendary basketball, his daughter Gianna, and the rest of the victims of the crash who were also killed. He even requested that friends and fans hold up the numbers two and four with their fingers to pay tribute to Bryant.
There was also a live sculpture made of sand to pay tribute to Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. The sculpture was that of two jerseys with both of Bryant's numbers as well as a football with Gianna's name on it.
Gettyimages | Christian Petersen
The pre-Super Bowl game party was star-studded with performances taking place by The Chainsmokers, Post Malone, and Migos. They all wore jerseys with Bryant's number 24 on them to pay tribute as well.
Other guests who were in attendance for the party and the tribute for Bryant included Dwayne Wade, Swizz Beatz, who is Alicia Keys husband and was the D.J for the party, as well as Scooter Braun. Keys' husband, D.J Swizz Beatz kept everyone moving with energetic music.
Wikimedia | https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kobe_B_Bryant.jpg
There was also a star-studded tribute for Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and the rest of the victims of the crash during the first home game for the Los Angeles Lakers. The tribute was paid toward all nine of the victims before the game started. Performances were played by Boyz II Men, Usher, and Wiz Khalifa.
The tribute that was held by the Lakers was held at the Staples Center where Bryant spent a lot of his time playing at the court. The Staples Center is also known as "the house that Kobe built."
Gettyimages | Ethan Miller
During the Lakers touching tribute, there was an eight-minute film reel which highlighted the accomplishments made by Kobe.
Lebron James, who began playing for the Lakers in 2018 made a speech about Bryant, his daughter, and the rest of the victims. He said this as he addressed the audience as 'Laker Nation,' "Tonight we celebrate the kid who came here at 18 years of age, retired at 38 and became probably the best dad we’ve seen over the last three years. In the words of Kobe, ‘Mamba Out,’ but in the words of us, ‘Not Forgotten.’ Live on, brother.”
