Beyonce kicked off a star-studded memorial ceremony in Los Angeles on Monday for basketball great Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, who died along with seven others in a helicopter crash last month. The public memorial – dubbed ‘A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant’ – was held at Staples Center, the arena where Bryant wowed fans for 17 years. The 2/24 date for the memorial carries special significance as it coincides with Bryant’s jersey number – 24 – and Gianna’s jersey number, 2. Fellow NBA legends Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell were among those attending the memorial along with Bryant family members and fans. “For me, it was like losing a friend,” he said, who wore a Lakers jersey with Kobe’s number.

Source: The Express Tribune February 25, 2020 08:36 UTC