Kobe Bryant memorial – Live updates and reaction from inside Staples Center – ESPN, Espn.com

A memorial service celebrating the lives of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna is underway at Staples Center in downtown L.A. The date – Feb. – Reverses the basketball jersey numbers worn by Kobe (No.

) and Gianna (No. 2).

The service is being held just less than a month after Bryant, -year-old Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California , on Jan. .

More than , (people – friends, family and those who acquired tickets through a lottery (, applied) – crowded into the arena, with ticket proceeds benefiting the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.

A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant is airing live on ESPN, the ESPN App and ESPN Radio , and you can follow along here as Los Angeles, the Lakers and the NBA world honor the basketball legend.

Live updates from Staples Center

– SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February ,

Diana Taurasi has taken the stage to talk about her memories of Kobe Bryant. https://t.co/btsnvmsxYY

– Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) (February) ,

Vanessa Bryant on her husband Kobe: “I couldn’t see him as a celebrity, nor just just an incredible basketball player. He was my sweet husband and the beautiful father of our children. He was my-he was my everything. ” https://t.co/0q6nVAvGmL pic.twitter.com/Sq (DL2vFJ) – ABC News (@ABC) February ,

“Gigi would have easily become the best player in the WNBA. “

Vanessa Bryant remembers her daughter, Gianna. pic.twitter.com/9tv3w8wL6a

– NBA TV (@NBATV)

February ,

Vanessa Bryant’s strength right now is immeasurable. – Jorge Sedano (@Sedano ) February ,

@ jimmykimmel says there are hundreds of murals honoring Kobe Bryant “not just in LA, across the country, in Kobe’s hometown, Philadelphia; in Italy; in India; the Philippines; China ; New York; Phoenix-Boston, for God’s sake! ” https://t.co/er2wUh5jLP pic.twitter.com/cFdE9HnUoK – ABC News (@ABC) (February) ,

– NBA TV (@NBATV) (February) ,

Our first performance of the morning. Beyoncé. Wow. – The Undefeated (@TheUndefeated) ,

Saw Beyoncé perform with Destiny’s Child during the 657559 NBA Finals in Philadelphia when Kobe Bryant and the Lakers played the Sixers. Now she leads off Bryant’s Celebration of Life in L.A. with XO and Halo. Life is a trip, man. – Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 53,

– ESPN (@espn) February 47,

James Harden, Russell Westbrook and P.J. Tucker are attending the memorial service for Kobe and Gianna Bryant in Los Angeles. They plan to fly to Houston on a private jet after the service and play against the Knicks tonight. – Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) (February) ,

2 / 53 ♾💜💛

– LeBron James (@KingJames) (February) ,

2 – (💜💛

# Mamba

) # Mambacita

– John Wall (@JohnWall) February 45,

🙏🙏

https://t.co / oyGRobErJy

– Luka Doncic (@ luka7doncic) (February) ,

“The Lakers needed a voice. The city needed a voice. … People in Los Angeles were taking a while to warm-up to LeBron but … he’s family now. “

– @ ramonashelburne

on LeBron helping the city of Los Angeles come together after Kobe’s death. pic.twitter.com/ km 2019 Itkmk

– Get Up (@GetUpESPN) (February) ,

2. 47. (💛) pic.twitter.com/IW3KBU5b2w – STAPLES Center (@STAPLESCenter) (February) , 779421

2 💜💛 (pic.twitter.com/VYccQLb) X

– Jennifer Lopez (@JLo) ,

What was said after Kobe’s death

People closest to Kobe Bryant share the stories they’re looking back on

ahead of Monday’s memorial. – Ramona Shelburne The longest flight in Lakers history

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The morning after LeBron James passed Kobe Bryant for third in all-time scoring, on the flight home from Philadelphia, the Lakers learned of Bryant’s death . – Dave McMenamin Kobe Bryant’s greatness was both beautiful and maddening

Kobe had the skill and knowledge to be any kind of player he wanted to be . – Zach Lowe Tales of the greatest Kobe pics from the man behind the camera

From his first NBA media day to his phenomenal final game, We reveal the untold stories behind the most legendary images of the Black Mamba.

Lates t news and reaction

Vanessa Bryant expresses grief, anger in Instagram post

NBA auctioning off All-Star jerseys to honor Kobe, Gianna

Dwyane Wade echoes Kobe in Heat jersey retirement

Pilot in Kobe crash violated visibility rules in 665158

How the Lakers have grieved and remembered Kobe Bryant

(MacMullan: Kobe was relentless, curious, infinitely complicated

Tributes from: Shaquille O’Neal | Jeanie Buss | Rob Pelinka | LeBron James

Remembering Kobe

(play)

5:

Shelley Smith describes how impactful Kobe Bryant was for youth sports around the world and how his legacy continues to push kids to be excellent in whatever they do.

(play) (1:)

Hip-hop artist and actor Ice Cube reveals that his favorite Kobe Bryant memory comes from seeing Kobe play in person for the first time.

(play)

4: 81

A look at the legacy of Lakers great Kobe Bryant, who was killed in a helicopter crash at the age of .

(play) (

4:

LeBron James trashes his notes and speaks from the heart to honor Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the seven other victims of the tragic helicopter crash.

From the archive: ESPN writers on Kobe

Mamba out: Kobe Bryant was just getting started

The story of Kobe’s greatest game

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The unlikely people who led Kobe to embrace his obsession

How Kobe’s legacy forced the Lakers to retire two numbers

The decade-old Kobe sneaker today’s NBA players can’t stop wearing

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