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LeBron James Gives An Emotional Speech To Honor Kobe Bryant

James made his first public comments since Bryant's death on Sunday before the Lakers hosted Portland on Friday

Melissa Rohlin

LeBron James had prepared a speech to read before the Lakers played Portland on Friday at Staples Center. 

But after reading off the names of the nine victims who died Sunday in a helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, James had a change of heart.  

Standing in front of over 19,000 fans near centercourt, James put down the piece of paper.

"Laker Nation, man, I would be selling y’all short if I read off this s***, so I'm gonna go straight from the heart," James said.

Staples Center erupted in applause. 

"The first thing that come to mind, man, is all about family," James said in his first public comments since Bryant's death. "And as I look around this arena, we’re all grieving, we’re all hurt, we’re all heartbroken. But when we’re going through things like this, the best thing you can do is lean on the shoulders of your family. And from Sunday morning all the way to this point  -- now, I heard about Laker nation before I got here last year, about how much of a family it is, and that is absolutely what I’ve seen this whole week. Not only from the players, not only from the coaching staff, not only from the organization, but from everybody. Everybody that’s here, this is really, truly, truly a family. And I know Kobe and Gianna and Vanessa and everybody thank you guys from the bottom of their heart, as Kobe said.

"Now, I know at some point we’re going to have a memorial for Kobe. But I look at this, I look at this as a celebration tonight. This is a celebration of the 20 years of the blood, the sweat, the tears, the broken-down body, the getting up, the sitting down, the everything, 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 probably the best dad we’ve seen over the last three years, man.

"Tonight is a celebration. Before we get to play. Love y’all, man. Kobe is a brother to me. And from the time I was in high school, from watching him afar, to get in this league at 18, watching him up close. All the battles that we had throughout my career. The one thing that we always shared is that determination to just want to win, and just want to be great. And the fact that I’m here now means so much to me.

"I want to continue, along with my teammates, to continue his legacy, not only for this year, but as long as we can play the game of basketball that we love because that’s what Kobe Bryant would want.

"So in the words of Kobe Bryant, 'Mamba Out.' But in the words of us, 'Not forgotten.' Live on, brother."

The Lakers had multiple tributes to Bryant before Friday's game, which marked their first time at Staples Center since Bryant's death. 

Usher sang 'Amazing Grace' and cellist Ben Hong played 'Hallelujah.' There were video tributes interspersing interview clips of Bryant with his game footage. 

The team's public address announcer, Lawrence Tanter, introduced every starter as '6-6, 20th year, out of Lower Merion High School, Kobe Bryant.'

The Lakers opened the game by taking a 24-second shot clock violation, and the Trail Blazers responded with an eight-second backcourt violation. 

The crowd at Staples Center had their own tribute of sorts, chanting 'Kobe, Kobe' and 'MVP, MVP' and 'Gigi, Gigi' at various times throughout the moving pregame events.

And two courtside seats were left empty Friday evening. 

They were the seats that Bryant and Gianna sat in during a Laker game against Dallas on Dec. 29.  

A pile of red roses sat in their spot.  

Published
Melissa Rohlin
MELISSA ROHLIN

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