‘Not forgotten’
LeBron James spoke for everyone as the Los Angeles Lakers honored the memory of franchise icon Kobe Bryant on Friday, delivering a simple message: “Not forgotten.”
At the apex of arguably the most painful week in franchise history, Bryant’s memory permeated every corner of the house he built.
His legacy was felt everywhere -- from the trumpets on the corner of Figueroa to the knot in ageless Lakers PA announcer Lawrence Tanter’s throat.
It resided on the shoulders of James, who pushed back tears to grab the mic and address a crowd broken with sorrow, reeling from the absence of the city’s most beloved son.
James read the names of the nine people who perished on that fateful Sunday morning and then tossed the rest of his notes.
“I would be selling y’all short if I read off this, so I’m going to go straight from the heart. I know at some point we will have a memorial for Kobe, but I look at this as a celebration tonight.
“This is a celebration of 20 years of the blood, the sweat, the tears, the broken down body, the getting up, sitting down, the countless hours, the determination to be as great as he could be. Tonight we celebrate the kid who came here at 18 years of age, retired at 38 and became the best dad we’ve seen over the last three years.
“We’re going to continue his legacy not only for this year but as long as we can play basketball, because that’s what Kobe Bryant would want. So in the words of Kobe Bryant: ‘Mamba Out,’” James said, recalling Bryant’s sign-off when he retired. “But in the words of us: ‘Not forgotten.’ Live on brother.”
No one will remember the final score or any specific performance. It wasn’t one of those nights. But the 48 minutes of basketball were exciting and hard-fought. Worthy of the ultimate competitor.
Bryant also lingered on the concrete slabs nearby, where hundreds of the Mamba faithful said their peace with ink and chalk. Such manifestations of pure love are only reserved for those in the pantheon – a place to which Kobe punched his ticket long before the era of social media and fleeting fame.
His memory filled every gap this week, and could be seen in the giant teddy bear outside Staples Center and the countless balloons, candles, drawings and letters. It was present in the hair rising magic of the cello and the weight of Usher’s rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’. In the angelical voice of Charlie Puth and the powerful verse of Wiz Khalifa.
Kobe was already the property of the eternal, with his 8 and his 24 hanging in the rafters of the true mecca of basketball. Banners and jerseys, after all, do hang forever.
Bouquets of red roses held open two courtside seats in honor of Bryant and Gianna, while yellow roses sculpted the numbers of 8 and 24 in massive arrangements on the court.
We’ll remember him in the purple and gold sunsets from the upper concourse balcony. In the M-V-P chants and the constant strive for perfection. In the smile of those who remember who brought a new era of greatness to Los Angeles.
Not forgotten. Never.