AFTER BASKETBALL. IT'S SOMETHING HE WORKED HARD AT. HE DID HAVE A SECOND ACT, HE WAS POSSIBLY WORKING ON A THIRD ACT AS WELL. JOINING ME NOW STEPHEN A. SMITH. THANKS FOR JOINING US. YOU KNEW KOBE, YOU COVERED HIM, HE WAS A FRIEND. WHAT'S GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND TODAY AS YOU WATCH THE CEREMONY? >> JUST INCREDIBLE SADNESS. AGAIN, KNOWING HIM AND KNOWING HOW MUCH HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE, KNOWING ALL THAT HE HAD ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED AND CHAMPIONSHIPS, THE ALL-STAR APPEARANCES, THE LEAGUE MVPs, TWO OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS, ALL OF THAT STUFF. IT WAS ALL BEHIND HIM. HE HAD CONQUERED EVERY DEMON, REAL AND IMAGINED. HIS MENTALITY WAS I'M 41 YEARS OF AGE, I'VE GOT A WONDERFUL WIFE, WONDERFUL CHILDREN, A WONDERFUL FAMILY AND I'VE GOT MY WHOLE LIFE TO LOOK FORWARD. TO THE ONLY EXPECTATION THAT I HAVE TO CONCERN MYSELF WITH IS THOSE THAT I PUT ON MY SHOULDERS BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY CONQUERED WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS PLACED ON ME SO THAT WAS HIS MENTALITY THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM WHICH WAS NEW YEAR'S EVE. THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND I KNEW WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO BE HERE NOW. TO KNOW THAT HE'S GONE IS PRETTY DEVASTATING. >> EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO OUR VEERS. A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING, PEOPLE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME OUT HERE, 250,000 SINCE HE DIED, 20,000, A SOLDOUT STADIUM. I'VE COVERED MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH AND OTHER PEOPLE'S DEATH. I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS ADD A MOURNING PERIOD THIS LONG. >> IT WAS A BASKETBALL COMMUNITY AND IT WAS AS MUCH ABOUT THAT AS ANYTHING ELSE. NO MATTER WHAT LEVEL OF GREATNESS YOU HAVE, THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS TO ATHLETES AND PEOPLE WITHIN THE PROFESSION IS TO HANDLE YOUR BUSINESS ON THE COURT. HE CLEARLY DID THAT WITH THE SUCCESS THAT HE HAD, BUT HE ALSO STEPPED BACK AND REACHED BACK TO HELP GOD IN TERMS OF THEIR OFF-THE-COURT ENDEAVORS, SOME OF THEIR ASPIRATIONS THAT THEY HAD, WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. I REMEMBER WHEN HE WENT TO THE BEIJING OLYMPICS IN 2008, YOU SEE A LOT OF THESE GUYS SPEAKING ABOUT BRANDING AND ELEVATING THEMSELVES ABOVE THE COURT AND REALLY SOLIDIFYING A FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES THAT EXTENDED BEYOND A COURT OF PLAY. HE CONSTANTLY TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THAT. PLUS HE WOULD TRAIN WITH SOME OF THEM IN THE OFF-SEASON AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE INS AND OUTS OF WHAT IT TAKES TO BE SUCCESSFUL. A LOT OF GUYS REALIZED THAT HE WAS A WILLING TEACHER, A WILLING MENTOR. HE FELT IT WAS HIS MISSION TO GIVE BACK, TO ASSIST AND MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. THEN WHEN YOU SEE PARTICULARLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE HOW HE WAS A GIRL DAD AND HE LOVED WOMEN'S SPORTS, PARTICULARLY THE WNBA. HIS DAUGHTER TALKED ABOUT BEING A STAR AND BECOMING AN ALL-AMERICAN AT UCONN BEFORE GOING ON TO THE WNBA AND THE WAY HE EMBRACED THAT AND WAS WILLING TO TUTOR HER AND SO MANY OTHER YOUNG LADIES TO ASCEND TO A LAND THAT PEOPLE THOUGHT WAS DESIGNATED FOR JUST THE GUYS. HE WAS LIKE, NO, NOT AT ALL. THIS IS MY LEGACY AND I LOVE EVERY MOMENT OF IT. SO YOU SEE EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY LIVING IT, NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT IT. IT JUST MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE PAINFUL THAT AT AGE 41, AS BRILLIANT AS HE WAS, SPEAKING SIX DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, BEING AS INTELLIGENT AND ACCOMPLISHED AS HE WAS, FOR HIM TO HAVE HIS WHOLE LIFE AHEAD OF HIM AND TO BE GONE AT AGE 41 IS JUST TRAGIC. >> STEPHEN, FINALLY ON THAT POINT, YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW HE WAS A RENAISSANCE MAN. HE WAS ALSO DISCIPLINED. HE WOULD GO OUT WITH PLAYERS BUT THEN WAKE UP AND MAKE SURE THEY WERE PRACTICING WITH HIM. DO YOU REMEMBER ANY STORIES OF HIS DISCIPLINE AND HOW HE CONSTANTLY LIVED A LIFE? >> HE WAS A GUY, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE, VAST MAJORITY IN THE NBA, BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESS HE ENJOYED, THAT WAS HIS LIFE SO YOU'VE GOT GUYS THAT LITERALLY WOULD HAVE THEIR SEASON END IN APRIL AND THEY'D START TRAINING AND GET IN THEIR WORKOUTS. KOBE BRYANT WOULD TAKE A WEEK, TWO WEEKS OFF MAX. EVEN WHEN HE WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP. HE WOULD BE OUT THERE TRAINING AND PREPARING FOR THE NEXT SEASON, BECAUSE HE KNEW HE WAS THE MARQUEE, HE KNEW PEOPLE WERE COMING AFTER HIM AND HE KNEW HE NEEDED TO BE READY TO LIVE UP TO THAT. IT WAS ALSO APPLICABLE TO EVERYTHING HE DID. HE'S CALLED ME ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHAT. -- WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING NOT UP? WHY AREN'T YOU ON TV? YOU'VE GOT A JOB TO DO. IF THAT WAS ME, YOU WOULDN'T ACCEPT THAT. GET UP AND GET READY TO WORK. EVEN AT THAT AS WE SIT UP AND TALK THAT THE STAPLES CENTER IS A BACKDROP, I WAS TELLING MY SISTER THE OTHER DAY, WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING? YOU'RE NOT GOING INSIDE THERE. YOU'RE GOING TO BE ON TV. YOU'VE GOT A JOB TO DO, DO YOUR JOB. HE WAS VERY, VERY, VERY BIG ON THAT. THAT'S WHAT I REMEMBER. >> THANK YOU, STEPHEN. STEPHEN A. SMITH. I SPOKE WITH RAMONA SHELBURN ABOUT THE LEGACY KOBE LEAVES IN THE NBA. YOU COVERED KOBE BRYANT. WE SPOKE THE NIGHT THAT THIS HAPPENED. WHAT DOES TODAY MEAN FOR YOU? >> LOOK, IT'S BEEN A MONTH SINCE HE PASSED AWAY. IT'S AS SHOCKING TODAY AS IT WAS A MONTH AGO. I STILL REMEMBER WHERE I WAS, HOW I HEARD, WHO I CALLED. I REMEMBER CALLING YOU ON THE PHONE. DOESN'T THAT FEEL LIKE YESTERDAY? >> IT DOES. >> I WAS DRIVING FROM THE CRASH SITE TO THE MAMBA ACADEMY OUT THERE IN THOUSAND OAKS. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE I KNOW HOW TO GET THERE, BUT I HAD TO PUT IT IN WAZE BECAUSE MY BRAIN WAS SO OVERLOADED BY THE SHOCK OF THIS. AND SO I THINK TODAY IS REALLY A DAY THAT THIS STARTS TO FEEL REAL, STARTS TO FEEL LIKE THERE'S ACCEPTANCE THAT CAN HAPPEN. WE'VE ALL DONE A LOT OF PROCESSING. I WAS HERE THE WHOLE FIRST WEEK. MY FAMILY IS JEWISH, RIGHT? WHEN SOMEBODY IN THAT RELIGION DIES, YOU SAY SHIVA FOR THEM. YOU SPEND A WEEK WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND TALK ABOUT THEM. THAT'S WHAT LOS ANGELES HAS BEEN DOING FOR A MONTH. THAT WHOLE FIRST WEEK IT WAS LIKE A BUBBLE THAT WE COULDN'T REALLY GET OUT OF. 250,000 PEOPLE CAME TO THIS PLAZA. THEY BACKED UP ALL THIS STUFF AND GAVE IT TO THE BRYANT FAMILY. IT TOOK 37 BOXES OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS TO FILL IT ALL UP. THE MAGNITUDE OF THE GRIEF THAT IS FELT IN THAT CITY IS ENORMOUS. I THINK TODAY WILL BE HELPFUL TO PEOPLE IN THE WAY OF CONCEPTUALIZING IT AND GIVING PEOPLE SOME ACCEPTANCE. >> TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CAME OUT HERE TO THE STAPLES CENTER AFTER THIS HAPPENED. >> YES. >> 20,000 COMING TODAY. THEY BLOCKED OFF ALL THE STREETS AROUND BUT WE'VE BEEN DRIVING AROUND AND SEEING PEOPLE IN LAKERS GEAR, DECORATING THEIR CARS WITH KOBE MEMORABILIA. I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S STRANGE BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW BIG SPORTS ARE. BUT IT SORT OF TRANSCENDS SPORTS, DOESN'T IT? >> THERE WAS A GUY THAT RUNS STAPLES CENTER AND BEFORE THEY SET THIS UP, THEY STUDIED SIMILAR EVENTS. THERE'S REALLY NO OTHER SIMILAR EVENT. THE CLOSEST THING THAT THEY COULD FIND WAS WHEN PRINCESS DI DIED. THERE WAS LIKE 300,000 PEOPLE AROUND THE STREETS OF LONDON WHEN SHE WAS LAID TO REST. I THINK NO VENUE THEY FOUND WOULD HAVE BEEN BIG ENOUGH. I THINK THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE IN LOS ANGELES AND AROUND THE WORLD THAT WANT TO BE HERE. YOU COULD HAVE FILLED THE COLISEUM, THE ROSE BOWL, ALL THE STREETS, STAPLES CENTER, THE FORUM, ANY VENUE IN LOS ANGELES, YOU COULD HAVE FILLED IT. THEY HAD TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHERE IT SHOULD BE AND STAPLES CENTER, THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT KOBE BUILT. LAST TIME I WAS HERE WITH HIM, HIS JERSEYS WERE GETTING RETIRED AND THE TIME BEFORE THAT WAS WHEN HE SCORED 60 POINTS IN HIS LAST GAME. I WISH EVERYBODY COULD BE HERE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WANTING TO DO, BUT I'M GLAD THAT IT'S GOING TO BE BROADCAST EVERYWHERE. I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE WILL BE AT WORK TODAY. >> FINALLY, RAMONA, CAN YOU REMEMBER YOUR LAST CONVERSATION WITH HIM AND WHAT YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT? >> YEAH. I ACTUALLY SAW HIM OUT AT THE MAMBA ACADEMY. HE WAS DOING AN EVENT WITH YOUNG GIRLS. JUST THE WAY HE TALKED TO THEM, WE JUST CAUGHT UP. I HAD MY SON, HE WAS MAYBE SIX, SEVEN MONTHS OLD AT THAT POINT. I WAS SHOWING HIM BABY PICTURES. HE WAS SHOWING ME PICTURES OF HIS GIRLS. HE WAS SO PROUD OF HIS GIRLS. NOT JUST GIGI. WE WERE JUST TWO PARENTS SHOWING EACH OTHER PICTURES. AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS THE HARDEST PART. I'M 40, HE WAS 41. WE KIND OF GREW UP TOGETHER. I REMEMBER WHEN HE TOOK BRANDY TO THE PROM. I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN THAT HAPPENED. YOU SEE SOMEBODY THAT HAS THE SAME TRAJECTORY AS YOUR LIFE. I WAITED TO HAVE CHILDREN OF MY OWN. I CAN'T IMAGINE LIFE BEFORE IT. KOBE WAITED UNTIL LATER TO ENJOY THAT FAMILY THAT HE HAD BUILT, THAT HE HAD CREATED. HE WAS SO HAPPY WHEN I LAST SAW HIM. SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO HOLD ON TO IS JUST KNOWING THAT HE HAD A LOT MORE TO DO, A LOT MORE TO SAY, BUT HE WAS HAPPY. >> MY CONVERSATION EARLIER TODAY WITH RAMONA SHELBURN FROM ESPN. JOINING ME WITH MORE IS MY COLLEAGUE T.J. HOLMES. WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. >> THEY HAVE KEPT THIS VERY CLOSE TO THE CHEST AND WHY NOT. THEY WERE ABLE TO CONTROL THE NARRATIVE. ACTUALLY EVERYBODY WILL BE SURPRISED TO A CERTAIN DEGREE TO SEE WHAT WE'VE SEEN HERE. ALL EYES ARE ON VANESSA BRYANT. IS SHE GOING TO SHOW UP? IS SHE GOING TO SPEAK? WILL THE KIDS BE THERE? WILL THEY TAKE THE STAGE? SHE HAS NOT MADE A PUBLIC APPEARANCE SINCE THE ACCIDENT, SINCE THAT CRASH A MONTH AGO. PUT OUT STATEMENTS ON INSTAGRAM, BUT EVERYBODY IS WANTING TO EMBRACE HER BUT WANTING TO SEE IF SHE SHOWS UP TODAY. ALL EYES WILL BE ON THAT. >> THERE WAS SOME SYMBOLISM ON THE TICKET PRICES AND THE DATE OF TODAY. >> IT WAS COOL HOW THEY DID THAT, FEBRUARY 24th, 2020. 2 WAS THE NUMBER GIANNA WORE. 24 THE NUMBER KOBE SPENT THE LAST TEN YEARS OF HIS CAREER IN AND 20, HE SPENT 20 YEARS WITH THE LAKERS. SO SYMBOLISM IN NUMBERS, EVERYTHING TODAY. I KNOW YOU SAW IT, YOU'VE BEEN STANDING DOWN HERE BUT ALL OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES HAS BEEN A MEMORIAL SINCE THE ACCIDENT. PURPLE LIGHTS, BUILDINGS LIT UP IN HIS NAME. TODAY EVERYONE HAS SURROUNDED THIS PLACE. IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYBODY IS GIVING DOWNTOWN AND STAPLES CENTER A COLLECTIVE HUG. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE HERE FOR A GAME. PEOPLE WEARING THEIR UNIFORMS AND KOBE BRYANT JERSEYS. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A CELEBRATION TODAY. >> AND WE ARE GETTING OUR FIRST IMAGES INSIDE THE STAPLES CENTER RIGHT NOW. IT IS WHAT YOU SAID, IT IS A COLLECTIVE HUG AROUND THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES TODAY. WHEN I CAME OUT HERE, IT WAS SOMBER, IT WAS SAD BUT IT IS ELECTRIFYING TO SEE THE PEOPLE WEARING KOBE GEAR TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT. EVERY TIME WE CAME OUT HERE, THE MEMORIALS WERE HUGE. RAMONA TOLD ME THERE WAS 37 TRUCKLOADS OF MEMORABILIA THAT HE FILLED THAT SURROUNDED THE STAPLES CENTER IN HONOR OF KOBE BRYANT. HE PLAYED HERE BUT PEOPLE CAME TO WATCH HIM BECAUSE THEY COULD FORGET ABOUT THEIR LIVES AND FORGET ABOUT WHATEVER STRESS AND KOBE, A CHAMPION WHO WAS GOING TO WIN FOR THEM. >> HE PUT ON A SHOW EVERY NIGHT. THESE HUGE PERSONALITIES AND HUGE TALENTS, MICHAEL JORDAN AND LeBRON JAMES, BETWEEN THOSE TWO, THAT ERA WAS OWNED BY KOBE BRYANT. NOT JUST BECAUSE OF HIS TALENT BUT HIS CHARISMA. THAT SMILE, HOW HE COULD MARKET HIMSELF AROUND THE WORLD. THE TALENT IS ONE THING, IT SPOKE FOR ITSELF. BUT TO YOUR POINT, YES, HE WAS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN THIS GAME AND WAS GETTING BIGGER IN SOME WAYS IT SEEMED AFTER HIS PLAYING CAREER. WHAT HE WAS DOING WITH WOMEN'S SPORTS, HE JUST SEEMED LIKE HE WAS GETTING STARTED, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN WATCHING HIM 20 YEARS IN HIS CAREER. >> YOU SAID THAT YOU HAD A CHANCE TO INTERVIEW HIM BACK IN 2016. DO YOU REMEMBER THAT LAST CONVERSATION YOU HAD WITH HIM? >> I DO. HE WAS BEING HONORED AT THE ESPYs. I WRAPPED UP AND SAID YOUR WIFE IS PREGNANT WITH YOU GUYS' THIRD. HE SAID YEAH, THIRD GIRL. I SAID WHAT'S GOING ON, SOMEBODY IS PUNISHING YOU? HE SAID, MAN, DADDY'S GIRLS. HE LIT UP AND SAID DADDY'S GIRLS, DADDY'S GIRLS. HE SAID THEY'RE ALL GOING TO PLAY SOCCER IS WHAT HE SAID. BUT HE WAS SO EXCITED AND HE LIT UP IN A WAY THAT HE CAN'T FAKE. YOU SAW IT WHEN HE STARRED TALKING ABOUT THOSE GIRLS, DADDY'S GIRLS. ONE OF THOSE GIRLS BEING CELEBRATED WITH HIM TODAY. WAITING TO SEE IF HIS FAMILY WILL SHOW UP, HIS WIFE AND THOSE THREE DAUGHTERS. >> THAT LEADS US TO OUR NEXT SEGMENT NOW. THE DEATH OF KOBE BRYANT AND HIS DAUGHTER ALONG WITH SEVEN OTHERS WAS SHOCKING, MOSTLY FOR HIS WIFE, VANESSA BRYANT. TINA JOINS ME WITH HOW SHE'S BEEN DEALING WITH THIS. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT IS A MAJOR PART OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE. YOU CAN'T STOP AND NOT THINK ABOUT VANESSA BRYANT. SHE'S NOW RAISING THOSE OTHER DAUGHTERS BY HERSELF. SHE LOST ONE OF HER DAUGHTERS AN HER HUSBAND. THOSE INSTAGRAM POSTS HAVE BEEN SO EMOTIONAL TO READ. >> YEAH. OF COURSE WE ARE BOTH PARENTS AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT STRUCK US AS WELL IS HOW IS VANESSA DOING. TODAY IS ABOUT HONORING KOBE AND GIGI OF COURSE, BUT OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO VANESSA AND HER THREE DAUGHTERS. AND WHEN SHE FIRST POSTED ON INSTAGRAM, SHE SAID THAT HE WAS REALLY HESITANT TO DO SO. SHE WAS HESITANT TO PUT HER FEELINGS OUT THERE BUT SHE DECIDED TO WRITE ABOUT IT IN CASE SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH SOMETHING SIMILAR. SHE WANTED TO SEE IF SHE COULD HELP SOMEBODY OUT THERE WHEN SHE STARTED TO EXPRESS HER FEELINGS. SHE SAID THAT IT'S LIKE SHE JUST CAN'T COME TO TERMS WITH IT, HER BODY WILL NOT ALLOW HER TO REALIZE THEY ARE GONE AND SHE'S TRYING TO PROCESS THE DEATH AND THE LOSS OF KOBE. SHE SAID MY BODY JUST WILL NOT LET ME UNDERSTAND THAT MY GIGI WILL NEVER COME BACK TO ME. IT'S NOT FAIR. SHE ALSO SAID I'M SO MAD, AND HOW CAN YOU NOT RELATE TO THAT? AND SHE WENT ON TO SAY SHE HAD TO BE THERE FOR HER THREE DAUGHTERS TO RAISE HER THREE DAUGHTERS AND ON VALENTINE'S DAY SHE POSTED A PICTURE OF HER AND KOBE. SHE CALLED HIM HER FOREVER VALENTINE. SHE ALSO SAID THAT APPARENTLY VALENTINE'S DAY WAS HIS FAVORITE HOLIDAY, SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT NOT THINK OR MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT KOBE BRYANT. MOST RECENTLY SHE POSTED A PICTURE OF A TATTOO. IT'S A TATTOO ON SYDNEY LaRUE AND IT'S THE NUMBER 2. NOW THAT OF COURSE IS GIGI'S NUMBER BUT ALSO THE NUMBER THAT SYDNEY WEARS AS WELL. THE THEME OF TATTOOS IS RUNNING STRONG. I READ A REPORT THERE'S EVEN A TATTOO ARTIST HERE IN LOS ANGELES WHO IS BOOKED THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. THAT IS SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE DOING TO HONOR KOBE. PEOPLE ARE MOURNING IN ALL DIFFERENT WAYS. WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW VANESSA FEELS TODAY. OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO HER AS SHE TRIES TO MOVE ON WITH HER LIFE, RAISE HER GIRLS. OF COURSE, TOM, THEY HAVE A 7-MONTH-OLD. THEY HAVE A BABY GIRL WHO WILL NOT REALLY KNOW HER FATHER THE WAY THAT MANY OF US DO. AND IT'S CERTAINLY HARD TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE IS A MOM WHO LOST HER BABY AND LOST HER HUSBAND AND SHE HAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOVE ON. >> NO, YOU'RE SO RIGHT. AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF VANESSA BRYANT WILL BE HERE. YOU AND I WERE SPEAKING ABOUT THIS. THAT'S OKAY IF SHE'S NOT HERE. THIS IS MAYBE THE LOWEST POINT WITHOUT A DOUBT IN HER LIFE AND SHE STILL HAS TO SHOW STRENGTH AND BE THE MOM TO THAT BABY AND TWO OTHER DAUGHTERS AND SORT OF THE SYMBOL NOW -- REALLY THE HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD NOW FOR THE BRYANT FAMILY. AND FANS AND PEOPLE WHO LOVED KOBE BRYANT WILL BE LOOKING AT HER AND READING HOW SHE DEALS WITH THIS MOURNING. IN A LOT OF WAYS PEOPLE WILL BE LOOKING UP TO HER TOO. >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK PEOPLE WILL LOOK TO VANESSA ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD, WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE. PEOPLE IN LOS ANGELES DON'T KNOW LOS ANGELES WITHOUT KOBE BRYANT. SHE HAS BEEN A PART OF HIS STORY FROM THE BEGINNING. THEY STARTED DATING WHEN SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL IN ORANGE COUNTY. SHE WAS WITH HIM HIS ENTIRE NBA RISE. SHE STOOD BY HIM WHEN TIMES WERE TOUGH IN THEIR MARRIAGE AND THEY OF COURSE HAD THESE FOUR BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS AND THEY MADE KOBE BRYANT, AS HE LIKES TO SAY, A GIRL DAD. AND I THINK THAT SHE WILL SET THE PRECEDENT HERE ON HOW WE'RE ALL SUPPOSED TO FEEL WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT TO DO AND WHERE TO MOVE FORWARD. AND WE'RE LEARNING, TOM, AS THIS IS COMING ON THAT THE FAA IS SAYING FIVE YEARS AGO THAT PILOT WHO WAS PILOTING THAT DOOMED HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN AIRSPACE VIOLATION DURING A CLOUDY DAY AT L.A.X. WE'RE LEARNING NOW TODAY THAT ON FEBRUARY 24th, VANESSA BRYANT HAS FILED A WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AGAINST ISLAND EXPRESS, AGAINST THAT HELICOPTER COMPANY. TMZ SAYS SHE IS CLAIMING THAT THE PILOT WAS RECKLESS. >> YEAH, THAT NEWS JUST BREAKING RIGHT NOW. UNFORTUNATELY ON THE SAME DAY THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE TO HONOR KOBE BRYANT AND HER DAUGHTER GIANNA. YOU DID MENTION THE WORD GIRL DAD AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT OF THIS HORRIBLE TRAGEDY. #GIRLDAD WENT VIRAL. KOBE BRYANT WAS NOT ONLY AN INSPIRATION AS A PLAYER, BUT ALSO AS THE FATHER OF GIRLS. >> A GIRL DAD IS OBVIOUSLY A DAD THAT HAS A DAUGHTER, BUT I THINK IT'S DEEPER. YOUR LOVE FOR HER IS JUST SO STRONG. YOU JUST GET ALL MUSHY INSIDE WHEN YOU SEE HER. TO BE THE FATHER OF GIRLS MEANS EVERYTHING. I LOVE MY GIRLS SO MUCH, AND EACH ONE YOU CAN ALREADY SEE THEIR DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES. IT DEFINITELY MAKES ME FEEL SPECIAL. I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER TO BE A GIRL DAD. >> IN THE WAKE OF HIS DEATH, THE WORDS KOBE BRYANT SHARED WITH ME ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO HAVE NOW CREATED A MOVEMENT. >> AND WITHOUT HESITATION, HE SAID I WOULD HAVE FIVE MORE GIRLS IF I COULD. I'M A GIRL DAD. >> BEING ABLE TO JUST BE WITH HIS DAUGHTERS, BE WITH HIS FAMILY IS THE HAPPIEST I'VE EVER SEEN HIM. Y'ALL SEE GIRL DAD, NEW HASH TAG, YOU QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT. >> WITH TWO SIMPLE WORDS, THE WORLD FOUND A PAY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE LEGEND THROUGH THEIR DAUGHTERS. >> SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAS GONE TRENDING AND THE WHOLE WORLD KIND OF STOPPED WHEN THE TRAGEDY HAPPENED. IT JUST SHOWS HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT HE HAD NOT ONLY ON ATHLETES BUT ON EVERYONE ACROSS THE WORLD AND THAT'S VERY POWERFUL. >> THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF FATHERS HONORING THEIR DAUGHTERS, AND DAUGHTERS CELEBRATING THEIR DADS. A SPECIAL PHRASE FOR A SACRED BOND. >> KOBE IMPACTED ME AS A GIRL DAD BY JUST SHOWING THAT GIRLS CAN DO THE SAME THING GUYS CAN DO. THEY CAN HAVE THE SAME MINDSET. HE LOVED EVERYTHING WITH SO MUCH PASSION AND I'M SURE THAT CAME FROM HAVING ALL GIRLS. SO I'M TRYING TO GROW INTO THAT TYPE OF LOVE FOR MY FAMILY AS WELL. >> KOBE SET THE EXAMPLE OF HOW TO BE A DAD OF GIRLS AND TO INSPIRE CONFIDENCE IN THEM, SHOWING THAT THEY COULD DO ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT. THE MOMENTS THAT I GET TO SPEND WITH BERNIE BEFORE THE GAMES ARE MOMENTS I'LL REMEMBER FOREVER. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO THE GAME SO I CAN GO OUT AND DRIBBLE WITH YOU, DAD. SHE LIGHTS UP. >> YOU SEE THERE'S A PERCEPTION THAT HAVING BOYS MAKES MEN FEEL MORE COMPLETE, BUT THERE WAS KOBE IN ALL HIS JOY REMINDING THE WORLD OF THE BLESSING THAT COMES OF BEING A DAD TO GIRLS. >> MY WIFE IS ACTUALLY PREGNANT AND WE'RE EXPECTING OUR FOURTH. I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING WHAT IF IT'S ANOTHER GIRL. AS MUCH AS I WOULD LOVE A BOY, AS MUCH AS MY WIFE WOULD LOVE A BOY, THERE'S DEFINITELY A PART OF ME THAT HOPES IT'S ANOTHER GIRL. >> FROM PROS TO AVERAGE JOES TO THE DAUGHTERS OF GIANTS, A COMMUNITY WAS FORGED. >> I THINK THE OVERALL IMPACT HAS BEEN EVERYTHING. DADS IN GENERAL HAVE BECOME BETTER. WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE OUR GIRLS. WE'RE NOT SO I WANT A BOY, I WANT A BOY, WE'RE EMBRACING THE GIRLS KNOWING THAT THEY'RE AMAZING. >> KOBE ALSO, THANKS FOR BEING A GIRL DAD. THANK YOU FOR LOVING GIGI AND YOUR OTHER DAUGHTERS. IT'S BEEN A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR ME LOVING MY DAUGHTER. THANK YOU, BROTHER. >> THE STORY BEHIND THE #GIRLDAD. >>> COMING UP NEXT, A MAN WHO FACED OFF AGAINST KOBE MANY TIMES JOINS US TO TELL US HIS MEMORIES. YOU ARE WATCHING ABC'S LIVE COVERAGE OF THE MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR KOBE AND GIANNA BRYANT. ♪♪ >>> AND BACK NOW WITH MORE ABC NEWS LIVE COVERAGE FOR THE MEMORIAL FOR KOBE AND GIANNA BRYANT. JUST BEHIND ME YOU CAN SEE THE CROWDS OF FANS TRYING TO GET INTO THE STAPLES CENTER RIGHT NOW. THE CEREMONY IS SET TO START IN A FEW MINUTES. IT COULD PERHAPS START LATER THAN THAT, BUT A LOT OF TICKET HOLDERS ARE RUSHING TO THE GATES TO GET IN, NEARLY EVERYONE WEARING KOBE BRYANT GREER. JOINING US NOW IS FORMER NBA PLAYER FOR THE SPURS WHO FACED OFF ON THE COURT AGAINST KOBE, BRUCE BOWEN. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS DAY. I KNOW YOUR HEART AND MIND ARE WITH KOBE THIS DAY. SINCE YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY UNLIKE MAYBE ANYBODY ELSE WATCHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO PLAY WITH KOBE BRYANT, TO TRY TO COVER HIM AS A DEFENSIVE PLAYER? >> IT WAS A JOY BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST. WHENEVER YOU GET A CHANCE TO GO UP AGAINST THE BEST, I THINK THAT SHOULD KIND OF ELEVATE YOUR JUICES AS WELL TO DO THE BEST JOB YOU CAN AGAINST HIM. WE KNOW ALL THE THINGS THAT KOBE HAS ACCOMPLISHED AND WHEN WE STARTED BATTLING, THERE WAS A BIT OF ENVY FROM MY BEHALF, AS FAR AS HE HAS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED. I DIDN'T CARE FOR HIM IN THE BEGINNING BECAUSE I THOUGHT OH, LOOK AT THE SWAGGER, HE'S SO ARROGANT, BUT HE WAS A CHAMPION. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT WAS ONE PLAY THAT EARLY EARNED MY RESPECT WITH KOBE OUT THERE ON THE FLOOR. AND IT CAUGHT ME THE SITUATION OF YOU HAVE TO HAVE A HEALTHY RESPECT FOR OTHERS, YOU CAN'T DISCREDIT THEM FOR THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WORK AS HARD AS THEY MAY WORK AND YOU MAY TOO BE A CHAMPION. >> BRUCE, WHAT WAS IT LIKE DAY IN AND DAY OUT, WE TALKED ABOUT KOBE'S DISCIPLINE TODAY. WOULD HE COME BACK BETTER AND STRONGER EVERY YEAR? >> YOU UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WAS SUCH A PERSON THAT WOULD GET AFTER HIS CRAFT. YOU UNDERSTOOD HE WAS GOING TO COME BACK EACH AND EVERY YEAR WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT. ONE YEAR HE CAME BACK MUSCULAR AND AND FIRST THING ON THE POST UP, HE SAID BRUCE I PUT ON SOME EXTRA WEIGHT SO WHEN YOU KEEP HACKING ME, I CAN FINISH MY SHOT. >> WATCHING THIS AND I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THE MOMENT YOU LEARNED OF THE NEWS WHEN YOU LEARNED THAT KOBE HAD PASSED AWAY. WHAT'S IT BEEN LIKE FOR PLAYERS WHO PLAYED WITH KOBE AND JUST IN THE GENERAL, YOU'RE STILL PART OF THE NBA, WHAT'S IT BEEN LIKE FOR THE LEAGUE? >> I THINK IT'S -- IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS IS THAT LIFE IS SO VALUABLE AND WE HAVE TO REALLY CHERISH THE MOMENTS WE HAVE WITH IT. YOU KNOW, LEARNING THIS NEWS, WHAT IT DID WAS, I THINK IT SHOWED A HUMAN ASPECT FOR A LOT OF THE PLAYERS. EVEN IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU GOING UP AGAINST SOMEONE AND THERE'S A DISDAIN YOU HAVE, BUT NOW, BECAUSE OF THE HUMAN ASPECT OF IT, YOU SEE KOBE STILL IMPACTING THE GAME IN A DIFFERENT WAY. YOUR HEART GOES OUT TO HE AND HIS FAMILY. SO WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS, IT WAS DEVASTATING BECAUSE THIS IS SOMEONE THAT FROM THE EARLY TIMES OF US BATTLING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, I COME TO HAVE AND DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. WE WOULD SIT AND TALK AND IN THOSE TALKS HE TALKED ABOUT GROWING THE GAME. THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS TO EVER PICK UP THE BASKETBALL AND HE'S TALKING ABOUT HOW HE NEED TO HELP THE GAME, CONTINUE THE PROCESS OF TEACHING THE GAME. SO WHEN YOU SEE THAT TYPE OF FERVOR AND DESIRE IN SOMEONE POURING THEIR HEART AND EFFORT INTO SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A LOVE THEY HAVE, IT MAKES YOU THAT MUCH MORE APPRECIATIVE OF THE TIME YOU GOT TO SPEND WITH HIM, AS WELL AS THE OTHERS. >> BRUCE, YOU TALKED ABOUT THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUNGER PLAYERS MAYBE HAVE LEARNED ABOUT KOBE? WE HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH MORE ABOUT HIS STORY, HIS LIFE, HIS PASSION AND WHAT HE WANTED TO DO AFTER BASKETBALL. >> I THINK IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT A LOT OF THE YOUNGER PLAYERS CAN LEARN IS HIS DESIRE AND WORK ETHIC. IT WAS NOT ANYTHING BEING GIVEN TO KOBE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN 18-YEAR-OLD PLAYING AT THE NBA LEVEL AND CONTRIBUTING IN HIS SECOND YEAR AND CONTINUING THE PROCESS OF LISTENING TO COACHES AND TAKING ALL THAT KNOWLEDGE AND APPLYING IT TO OTHERS AS WE GOT OLDER. YOU SAW THE WAY HE'S WILLING TO WORK WITH GUYS NOW. THERE WAS A TIME KOBE WAS SUCH A COMPETITOR, HE DIDN'T WANT TO WORK OUT WITH A PLAYER, HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE HE WAS DOING HIS DUE DILIGENCE SO HE COULD KEEP THAT EDGE. I THINK THAT WORK ETHIC IS SOMETHING WE ALL CAN LEARN FROM, AS FAR AS HIS HOURS IN THE GYM, SPENDING TIME ON HIS CRAFT. YOU DON'T WAKE UP AND TURN IT ON LIKE THAT. A LOT OF PLAYERS TODAY ARE LEARNING THAT IN THESE DIFFERENT TRIBUTES TO KOBE. THAT'S THE POSITIVE. IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN LEARN FROM HIM, IF YOU WORK HARD ENOUGH AND HAVE A PASSION, GREAT THINGS CAN HAPPEN. BY NO MEANS I DON'T THINK KOBE THOUGHT OF HIS LEGACY LIKE THIS. IT'S ONLY BECAUSE OF THE PERSON HE WAS AND HIS DESIRE TO GET BETTER AT THE GAME HE LOVE IS WHY EVERYONE HAS SUCH EMOTIONS FOR HE AND HIS FAMILY RIGHT NOW. >> YOU KNOW, KOBE WHEN HE LEFT THE GAME ALSO SPOKE ABOUT BEING A VILLAIN AND BEING A HERO. WHAT WAS IT ABOUT HIM THAT PLAYERS AND OPPOSING FANS HATED OR DISLIKED, OR HOW DID HE GET UNDER THEIR SKIN? >> I THINK THERE'S A COMFORT ITSELF THAT KOBE HAS. ANY CHAMPION, ANY INDIVIDUAL THAT YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COMFORT THEY HAVE WITH THEMSELVES. AND IF YOU HAVE THAT COMFORT AND IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITHIN YOUR SKIN, THERE'S NO GREATER JOY THAN WALKING INTO A BUILDING AND THEY'RE SCREAMING DIFFERENT THINGS AT YOU, AND YOU'RE ABLE TO SILENCE THAT CROWD. HE ENJOYED THOSE MOMENTS. HE WORKED HARD FOR THOSE MOMENTS. THOSE MOMENTS WEREN'T BY HAPPENSTANCE, THEY TOOK PLACE BECAUSE OF THE LOVE HE HAD FOR THE GAME AND BASKETBALL. AND BECAUSE HE WANTED TO CONTINUE FEEDING THAT TO GIGI AND OTHERS AS WELL. >> BRUCE BOWEN THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE HAVE RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON WHEN THE CEREMONY WILL START. WE THINK WE'RE 20, 25 MINUTES FROM THE CEREMONY STARTING HERE AT THE STAPLES CENTER. HERE I LEARNED HOW THE LAKERS LEARNED FROM KOBE. >> WE WERE BOTH 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PHILLY GROWING UP. AND WHEN HE WAS COMING UP, HE WAS THE SON OF JOE BRYANT, THE SIXERS PLAYERS. IS HE AS GOOD AS THE GUYS PLAYING IN THE CATHOLIC LEAGUE? HE WAS PLAYING IN THE SUBURBS AGAINST GUYS LIKE ME. THEN HE CAME AND TRIED TO PROVE HIMSELF, PLAYED THE SIXERS, SAID HE WANTS TO RIP THE HEARTS OUT OF THE PHILADELPHIA FANS. IT KIND OF SOURED HIS LEGACY A LITTLE BIT. BUT AS TIME WENT ON I THINK THE PHILADELPHIA WORK ETHIC WAS APPRECIATED BY THE FANS THERE AND BY THE END OF HIS CAREER, IT WAS A SELL OUT. AND THE FANS TOTALLY EMBRACED MAMBA MENTALLY. >> THERE WAS A TIME HE SAID WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER, WHEN HE WAS 10 YEARS OLD, HE WAS HORRIBLE AS A BASKETBALL PLAYER AND THE TIME HE WAS 14 HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE STATE. WERE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT HIM THEN? >> YES. HE CAME BACK TO THE STATES AFTER SPENDING YEARS 7 THROUGH 13 IN THE -- IN ITALY. HE PLAYED IN THE SUMMER LEAGUE AND SCORED ZERO POINTS. AND HE HAD TO LEARN THINGS, PICKING UP SLANG AND RELATING TO THESE KIDS THAT SPENT TIME IN EUROPE. HE PLAYED AGAINST MY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MY EIGHTH GRADE COACH HAS THE SCORE BOOK OF KOBE'S MIDDLE SCHOOL BEATING HIS TEAM AND KOBE SCORED 13 OF THE TEAM'S 26 POINTS. >> HALF THE POINTS THERE. THAT'S INCREDIBLE. YOU WROTE A TOUCHING STORY ABOUT WHEN THE LAKERS FOUND OUT THE NEWS. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE TO SORT OF REPORT ON THAT STORY TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND FIND OUT WHAT THAT MOMENT WAS LIKE? >> IT'S BEEN ABOUT A MONTH NOW AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S BEEN RAW EMOTIONS AND YOU WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE TIME. BUT SOME OF THE GUYS WERE STARTING TO OPEN UP, DANNY GREEN, ONE OF THE LAKERS GUARDS HOSTS A PODCAST, HE HAD GUESTS ON OVER THE BREAK THAT SHARED THEIR MEMORIES. ANDREW DAVIS STARTED TO OPEN UP ABOUT IT. THERE'S ENOUGH INFORMATION OUT THERE YOU PIECE IT TOGETHER. THIS WEEK I SPOKE TO THE LAKER'S COACH, TO LeBRON JAMES. AND LeBRON TOLD ME ABOUT THIS MOMENT, AFTER THEY GOT THE NEWS, THEY WERE FALLING ASLEEP, CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, FRANK COMES IN AND TELLS THEM WHAT'S HAPPENING AND LeBRON GATHERS THEM FOR A TEAM PRAYER. I ASKED WHAT WAS ON HIS MIND. HE SAID IT WAS ON MY MIND, IN MY HEART, WE NEEDED TO BE TOGETHER I FELT. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT GOD'S PLAN IS, WE'RE ALL HERE FOR A REASON AND WE NEED TO STICK TOGETHER THROUGH THIS TRAGEDY. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS HAS DONE FOR THE LAKERS TEAM? THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S BIGGER THAN BASKETBALL, HOW HAS IT AFFECTED THE LAKERS AND THE LEAGUE IN GENERAL? >> KOBE IS ONE OF THE MONOLITHS THAT EXISTED IN THE NBA AND FOREVER MORE HE WILL BE A BASTIAN OF WORK ETHIC OF FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS AND ACHIEVING THEM AND SOMEONE TO HAVE PRIDE IN THE SPORT OF BASKETBALL. HE PROMOTED IT ON THE YOUTH LEVEL, ON THE WOMEN'S LEVEL, INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. AND SO, THAT WILL ALWAYS EXIST IN TERMS OF THIS LAKERS TEAM SPECIFICALLY, THEY HAD A TON OF MOTIVATION. LeBRON JAMES IS A MOTIVATING GUY, PLAYING IN YEAR 17, TRYING TO WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP WITH THE THIRD TEAM AFTER MIAMI AND CLEVELAND. BUT I THINK THERE'S MAYBE SOMETHING IN THE AIR, SAYING THERE'S MORE THAN BASKETBALL THIS YEAR, MAYBE DO IT FOR YOURSELVES BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY OF LOS ANGELES. >> MAYBE SOME PRESSURE WE SAW IT YESTERDAY. THE CELTICS GAME, THEY PULLED IT OFF, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE GAME. >> DAVE COVERS THE LAKERS WE THANK HIM FOR HIS TIME. WE ARE MINUTES AWAY FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR KOBE AND GIANNA BRYANT. STAY WITH US, YOU ARE WATCHING ABC NEWS LIVE COVERAGE. >>> AND CHECK OUT THIS CAR HERE. WE SAW IT PULLING UP AS WE DROVE INTO THE STAPLES CENTER HERE IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. IT IS COMPLETELY COVERED IN KOBE MEMORABILIA RIGHT THERE. THE PURPLE AND GOLD. PRETTY SWEET RIDE. WE ARE HERE AT THE STAPLES CENTER TODAY, WE ARE MINUTES AWAY. THIS IS A LIVE LOOK AERIAL VIEW OF THE STAPLES CENTER FOR A CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR KOBE AND GIANNA BRYANT. KOBE WAS AN ADVOCATING FOR COACHING AND MENTORING KIDS, NOT JUST HIS OWN BUT OTHERS. >> THE IMPACT OF KOBE BRYANT IS FELT BY SO MANY ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. >> WHEN DID YOU FIRST LEARN ABOUT KOBE BRYANT? >> SINCE I WAS BORN. >> 10-YEAR-OLD SIRIA GOES TO SCHOOL IN SAN PEDRO. BUT IT'S AFTER SCHOOL SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO THE MOST. >> I HAVE LOVED BASKETBALL SINCE I WAS 5 YEARS OLD. I LOVE BASKETBALL BECAUSE IT'S A FUN SPORT AND LIKE ANYONE CAN PLAY IT. BOYS AND GIRLS. >> IN RETIREMENT, KOBE BRYANT WANTED TO HAVE A GLOBAL FOOTPRINT ON HIS BUSINESS. AND HE AIMED TO BE A CHAMPION OF YOUTH SPORTS. IN 2017, HE PARTNERED WITH NIKE AND THE LOS ANGELES BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS TO CREATE THE MAMBA LEAGUE, A YOUTH BASKETBALL INSTRUCTIONAL LEAGUE FOR CHILDREN AGES 8 TO 10, THAT HAS SINCE EXPANDED TO NEW YORK CITY. THE PROGRAM'S PITCH WAS SIMPLE. >> COME OUT, KOBE IS DOING THIS AMAZING THING. YOU CAN COME PLAY THE MAMBA LEAGUE. IT'S GOING TO BECOME MORE AVAILABLE FOR HER. >> WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO NOW IS TRY TO GIVE YOU A HEAD START. >> WHEN YOU ENTER THE MAMBA LEAGUE, IT WAS FREE. IT'S FREE FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO JOIN, AS LONG AS THEY'RE WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. >> GOT SOME AWESOME GEAR. >> I GOT A BACKPACK, A SHIRT, A BOOK. A SHARPIE. >> 16-YEAR-OLD KUMI TAMARA A HIGH SCHOOL JR. ATTENDED HIS CAMP AND PLAYED TOURNAMENTS AT THE ACADEMY IN THOUSAND OAKS. THE TWO DEVELOPED A FRIENDSHIP. >> HE HAD PATIENCE TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNEW WHAT -- THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE GAMES, WHY THINGS WERE HAPPENING, WHEN TO DO STUFF AND WHEN NOT TO DO THINGS. >> KOBE WAS INVESTED IN, OBVIOUSLY IN HIS KIDS, TEACHING EXCELLENCE TO THEM. BUT HE ALSO WAS A COACH. >> TOM FERRY IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ASPEN INSTITUTE'S SPORTS AND SOCIETY PROGRAM. LAST YEAR KOBE COLLABORATED WITH THEM AND ESPN ON AN INITIATIVE CALLED DON'T RETIRE KIDS. IN AUGUST HE LAUNCHED THE CAMPAIGN TO HIS 15 MILLION TWITTER FOLLOWERS. >> I'M HERE TO ANNOUNCE MY RETIREMENT FROM SPORTS. THE PRESSURE THAT IT TAKES TO PLAY AT MY AGE, JUST TOO MUCH. >> TELL ME ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH PROJECT PLAY. >> IT'S SOMETHING I REALLY BECAME PASSIONATE ABOUT BECAUSE OF THEIR MISSION. HOW DO YOU MAKE THE GAME MORE ENGAGING, ENABLE KIDS TO PLAY. >> PROJECT PLAY IS A VERY AMBITIOUS IDEA. KOBE WAS VALUABLE BECAUSE AFTER HE RETIRES, HE'S REALLY THINKING ABOUT HIS LEGACY. HOW DO I TAKE WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT EXCELLENCE AND TEACH IT TO THE NEXT GENERATION. HOW DO WE CREATION CULTURE CHANGE, SYSTEMS CHANGE IN YOUTH SPORTS IN THIS COUNTRY SO MORE KIDS HAVE A BETTER EXPERIENCE PLAYING THE GAME. >> BRYANT WAS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE 2018 PROJECT PLAY SUMMIT AND SPOKE OUT FREQUENTLY ABOUT THE PROBLEMS IN YOUTH SPORTS. >> I THINK FOR US AND HOW WE GUIDE OUR CHILDREN THROUGH THEIR DAYS AS YOUNG ATHLETES, SOME OF IT HAS TO DO WITH JUST PROTECTING THAT CHILD-LIKE INNOCENCE THAT THEY HAVE. >> KOBE KNOWS FROM BEING A HIGH PERFORMANCE ATHLETE THAT YOU SPARK A LOT OF GAVE IN THE KID. AND YOU LISTEN TO THEM. YOU UNDERSTAND THEIR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LIVES AND WHAT THEY NEED TO GET OUT OF THE EXPERIENCE. >> HE USED TO ALWAYS TELL ME PEOPLE COME INTO YOUR LIFE FOR A REASON. AND THINGS -- THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON. AND AT THE END -- IN THE END IT'S MY STORY TO TELL. AND HE HELPED ME GET TO THIS POINT AND MEET SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE. AND I'LL HAVE EVEN MORE STORIES TO TELL. >> I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR PARENTS IS ESTABLISHING AN ELEMENT OF FUN AND IMAGINATION. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR KIDS TO HAVE FREEDOM AND FLEXIBILITY TO CREATE AND IMAGINE AND FOR THE GAME TO BE FUN WHILE TEACHING FUNDAMENTALS OF THE SPORT. >> GOOD JOB. LET'S GO. >> HE'S ABLE TO GIVE VOICE TO THE VOICELESS, KIDS. AND IT'S SUCH A RARE THING AND SUCH A PRECIOUS THING AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO MISS IS KOBE'S ABILITY TO HELP CHILDREN BE RESPECTED. AND HOPEFULLY DERIVE ALL THE BENEFITS FROM PLAYING SPORTS. >> ON THREE. >> KOBE! >> ESPN'S SHELLY SMITH FOR US. WE SHOULD KNOW THAT VANESSA BRYANT IS DONATING ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE TICKET SALES TO TODAY'S CELEBRATION TO THE MAMBA SPORTS FOUNDATION. I WANT TO BRING IN KANA WHITWORTH. I WANT TO TAKE YOU BACK A FEW YEARS WHEN YOU WERE HERE AT THE STAPLES CENTER FOR KOBE'S LAST GAME. >> YEAH. IT'S ALMOST ERIE TO LOOK BACK ON NOW. THERE WAS NO PLAYOFFS. AND SO MANY CELEBRITIES WERE HERE. WHEN I ASKED THEM WHY ARE THEY HERE, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? THEY SAID I'M HERE TO WITNESS HISTORY. FOR KOBE IT STARTED OUT SLOW BUT AS EVERYONE KNOWS HE SCORED 60 POINTS. AT THE END OF THE GAME HE GOT ON THE MICROPHONE AND SAID THIS HAS BEEN BEAUTIFUL AND HE SAID, OF COURSE, MAMBA OUT. AND THE PRESS CONFERENCE AFTERWARDS HE TALKED ABOUT HOW TOMORROW MORNING I'M GOING TO BE UP EARLY AND ON THE TREADMILL BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO WAKE UP WITHOUT PURPOSE. HE DID WALK IT BACK, IT MIGHT NOT BE REALLY EARLY BECAUSE OF THE CHAMPAGNE TONIGHT. BUT HE DIDN'T WANT A LIFE WITHOUT PURPOSE. AND RAMONA ASKED HIM, YOU'RE A LEGENDARY BASKETBALL PLAYER BUT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE AS GOOD AT ANYTHING ELSE THAN YOU ARE AT BASKETBALL. AND TALKING ABOUT HIS PURSUIT OF PERFECTION, HE WAS THAT GOOD AT EVERYTHING ELSE. HE WON AN OSCAR. EVERYTHING HE DID, HE DID IT WITH 110% OF HIMSELF. AND THAT RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF PERFECTION, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS EASY TO SEE HE WAS PASSING ON TO HIS DAUGHTERS, AND HE WAS PASSING IT ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYERS, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. HE WAS A HUGE ADVOCATE OF THE WOMEN'S GAME. HE DOESN'T HAVE TO VALIDATE THE WOMEN'S GAME. IT IS WHAT IT IS AND IT'S AMAZING. BUT HE WAS THERE OUT OF RESPECT FOR THESE FEMALE ATHLETES. AND HE WAS TEACHING GIANNA HOW TO FOLLOW THEIR FOOTSTEPS. IT'S A FANTASTIC WAY TO BE A FATHER AND COACH AND TEACH HER THE BASKETBALL HE KNEW AND INTRODUCE HER TO THESE WOMEN SHE COULD LOOK UP TO. AS A BASKETBALL PLAYER MYSELF, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS YOU LEARN AND THEY STAY WITH YOU THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MAMBA SPORTS FOUNDATION, THESE KIDS ARE LEARNING ABOUT THEIR LIVES THROUGH BASKETBALL AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT KOBE BRYANT HAS DONE FOR THEM, AND THAT WILL BE HIS LASTING LEGACY. THE MAMBA MENTALITY IS NOT GENDER SPECIFIC. IT'S FOR EVERYBODY, BOYS AND GIRLS, ATHLETES OF ALL KINDS. >> THERE'S NO DEBATE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH SPORTS. BEFORE YOU CAME TO LOS ANGELES, YOU WERE IN BOSTON, ANOTHER HUGE SPORTS CITY. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO MOVE HERE TO L.A. AND THEN MOVE INTO KOBE CITY? >> IT IS KOBE'S CITY. NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. OF COURSE, THERE'S A HUGE RIVALRY BETWEEN THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS AND THE BOSTON CELTICS. I THINK KOBE IS SO BIG, HE'S BIGGER THAN BASKETBALL, BIGGER THAN THE LAKERS, HE IS LOS ANGELES. SO YOU SORT OF FALL IN LINE, I THINK. AND ACTUALLY, TOM, IT REMINDS ME, YOU KNOW, THEY CANCELLED THE LAKERS GAME AFTER THEY WERE KILLED -- YOU KNOW, THE LAST TIME THAT AN NBA BASKETBALL GAME WAS CANCELLED WAS THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING AND THEY CANCELLED THE BOSTON CELTIC'S GAME. AND SO WHEN YOU'RE A FAN OF SPORTS YOU'RE A FAN OF SPORTS AND THERE ARE CERTAIN ATHLETES THAT TRANSCEND THE GAME. I THINK EVERYBODY WHETHER YOU'RE A CELTICS FAN OR LAKERS FAN, YOU RESPECT KOBE AND WHAT HE BROUGHT TO THE GAME. >> THANK YOU. >>> I WANT TO GO BACK TO ESPN ANALYST, BRUCE BOWEN WE'RE FIVE MINUTES FROM THE CEREMONY GETTING UNDER WAY. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE THINKING ABOUT AS YOU WATCH THE CEREMONY TODAY. >> MY MIND IS WITH THE FAMILIES THAT WERE LOST AND HOW WE GET BACK TO SOME BIT OF NORMAL ACTIVITIES IN YOUR LIVES. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL CHANGE EVERYONE'S LIVES FOREVER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE DON'T WANT TO BE SAD AND HEART BROKEN FOREVER OVER THIS. BUT WE WANT TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE WITH THIS. I THINK IF THERE'S ANYONE WE CAN KIND OF LOOK AT AND SAY WHAT WOULD THIS INDIVIDUAL DO, TALKING ABOUT KOBE, HE WOULD GET BACK AFTER THINGS. SO WE UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO PICK UP THE PIECES IN LIFE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WE CAN UTILIZE WHAT HE STOOD FOR AS FAR AS THE WORK ETHIC AND BEING THE BEST HE COULD BE AT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING HE TOUCHED AND USE IT AS A MOTIVATING FACTOR EVERY DAY WE'RE OUT HERE DOING WHAT YOU DO, WHETHER IT'S YOUR PASSION OR LOVE. UNDERSTAND YOU CAN DO SO MUCH MORE IN LIFE WITH A PROUD HEART, AS FAR AS GETTING AFTER CERTAIN THINGS IN LIFE. >> BRUCE, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE LEAGUE WILL TAKE AWAY FROM THIS MOVING FORWARD, THINKING ABOUT KOBE'S LEGACY, WE KNOW MOSTLY KNOW HE WILL BE A HALL OF FAME. THE ALL-STAR GAME CHANGED THINGS AROUND TO HONOR KOBE BRYANT. BUT MOVING FROM THIS CEREMONY HERE, KOBE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE IN THE NBA'S HISTORY. >> HE DEFINITELY WILL. THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL PART ABOUT THE NBA IS HOW ACTIVE THEY ARE WITH FORMER PLAYERS. YOU TALK ABOUT A FORMER PLAYER OF KOBE'S, HIS CHARACTER, HIS LEGACY AND THE WAY HE TOUCHED THE WORLD WITH HIS GAME. YOU DEFINITELY I BELIEVE WILL SEE SOMETHING TO HIM THAT WILL BE A TRIBUTE, AS FAR AS A TROPHY OR AN MVP. IF ANYBODY HAS THE DESIRE THAT HE HAD, IT ONLY ADDS TO THE VALUE WHAT THE LEAGUE IS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IT TAKES ME BACK TO THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT WOULD FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL FOR EVERY SINGLE THING. AS LONG AS THERE WAS TIME ON THE CLOCK, KOBE WAS GOING TO UTILIZE THAT TIME TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING SPECTACULAR IN THAT MOMENT. >> BRUCE BOWEN FROM SAN ANTONIO TODAY, REFLECTING, DISCUSSING AND ANALYZING EVERYTHING THAT IS KOBE BRYANT FOR US ON THIS SPECIAL NEWS ON ABC LIVE. I JUST GOT THE TWO MINUTE WRAP. WE ARE ABOUT TO HEAD INSIDE TO THE STAPLES CENTER TO HONOR KOBE BRYANT AND HIS DAUGHTER, GINA NA-AND THE SEVEN OTHERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES. THIS IS ABOUT KOBE AND GIANNA BUT IT'S ABOUT THOSE OTHER PEOPLE, THE INNOCENT LIVES LOST WHEN THE HELICOPTER WENT DOWN NEARLY A MONTH AGO. IT TOOK JUST MINUTES FOR THAT ACCIDENT TO TAKE PLACE TO REALIZE THE IMPACT THAT KOBE BRYANT HAD NOT ONLY HERE IN LOS ANGELES BUT AS A PLAYER, AS AN ALL-STAR, MEMBER OF TEAM USA, A FUTURE HALL OF FAMER AND ALSO AS SOMEBODY WHO WAS AN AMBASSADOR FOR YOUTH SPORTS, ESPECIALLY FEMALE YOUTH SPORTS, COACHING HIS DAUGHTER, GIANNA, BEING COURT SIDE WITH HIS DAUGHTER, EXPLAINING THE GAME TO HER, SUPPORTING HER. WE'VE SEEN HASHTAG GIRLS' DAD TAKE OFF. PEOPLE HONORING THEIR DAUGHTERS, BEING PART OF THEIR LIVES. IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE CEREMONY. IT'S UNCLEAR IF VANESSA BRYANT WILL BE HERE, IT'S UNCLEAR WHO'S GOING TO SPEAK, TO PERFORM WE KNOW THE EVENT SOLD OUT, 20,000 TICKETS ALL PROCEEDS GOING TO THE MAMBA FOUNDATION. SO THIS GOES TO GOOD CAUSES. THE CITY HAS MADE IT CLEAR, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TICKET, PLEASE WATCH FROM HOME, WATCH FROM PLACES LIKE ABC NEWS AND ALL THE LOCAL STATIONS COVERING THIS, THEY WANT THIS TO BE A SOLEMN, SPECIAL MOMENT. THEY'VE BLOCKED OFF STREETS AND PUT BARRICADES WITH BLACK COVERS SO PEOPLE CAN'T LOOK INSIDE. THEY WANT TO KEEP THIS AS PRIVATE AND INTIMATE AS POSSIBLE. FOR THE LAST MONTH, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS HAVE COME THROUGH THE STAPLES CENTER TO LEAVE MEMORABILIA, REMEMBER KOBE BRYANT AND TODAY IS SORT OF THE EPICENTER OF ALL OF THAT. TODAY WILL BE THE DAY THAT THEY HONOR KOBE AND HIS DAUGHTER, GIANNA. WE'RE TEN SECONDS FROM THE CEREMONY GETTING UNDER WAY AT THE STAPLES CENTER, THE HOUSE THAT KOBE BUILT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING OUR COVERAGE. LET'S GO INSIDE. >> YES, I'M READY. >>> GOOD MORNING. AND WELCOME TO THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR KOBE AND GIANNA BRIAN AND THEIR FRIENDS, JOHN, KERRY, AND ALYSSA ALTOBELLI. SARAH AND PAYTON CHESTER. CHRISTINA MAUSER. ON ON BEHALF OF VANESSA AND THE ENTIRE BRYANT FAMILY WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS1>mñ DURING THIS DIFFICU TIME AND APPRECIATE YOUR LOVE AND COMING TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF THESE REMARKABLE INDIVIDUALS. WHILE THIS IS A MEMORIAL EVENT THE WORD CELEBRATION IS VERY MUCH A PART OF ITS PURPOSE. WHILE WE ASK YOU TO RESPECT THE OCCASION, WE MUST NOT FORGET TO CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF KOBE, GIANNA AND THEIR FRIENDS. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT HE WOULD HAVE WANTED THAT. TO BEGIN THIS EVENT, A VERY CLOSE FRIEND OF THE BRYANT FAMILY IS HERE TO SHOW HER LOVE AND SUPPORT TO VANESSA AND< THE FAMILIES HERE TODAY. PLEASE WELCOME BEYONCE NOLS CARTER. ♪♪ ♪ HERE IS LOVE AND PICTURES AND WORDS ♪ ♪ LIVING IN THE SHADOWS ♪ ♪ LIVING IN THE SHADOWS ♪ ♪ BABY KISS ME ♪ ♪ BABY KISS ME ♪ ♪ LET ME TURN THE LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ LET ME TURN THE LIGHTS OUT ♪ I'M HERE BECAUSE I LOVE KOBE AND THIS IS ONE OF HIS FAVORITE SONGS SO I WANT TO START THAT OVER, BUT I WANT TO DO THAT ALL TOGETHER AND I WANT YOU TO SING IT SO LOUD. ARE YOU READY? LOVE YOU. ♪ EVEN IN THE SHADOWS ♪ ♪ EVEN IN THE SHADOWS ♪ ♪ BABY KISS ME ♪ ♪ BABY KISS ME ♪ ♪ BEFORE THEY TURN THE LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ BEFORE THEY TURN THE LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ YOUR HEART'S IN THE WIND ♪ ♪ AND ONLY LAUGHING INTO YOU ♪ ♪ SO BABY KISS ME ♪ ♪ BABY KISS ME ♪ ♪ BEFORE I TURN THE LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ BEFORE I TURN THE LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ TURN THE LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ IN THE DARK IT'S LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ IN THE DARK IT'S LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ ALL THAT I SEE, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING ♪ ♪ BABY LOVE ME LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ BABY LOVE ME LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ WE DON'T HAVE FOREVER ♪ ♪ BABY DAYLIGHT'S ON ITS WAY ♪ ♪ YOU BETTER KISS ME BEFORE THE TIME HAS RUN OUT ♪ ♪ OH, YEAH ♪ ♪ NOBODY SEES WHAT WE SEE ♪ ♪ YOU BETTER KISS ME BEFORE WE TURN THE LIGHTS OUT. ♪ THE TIME IS RIGHT NOW LOVE ME RIGHT NOW ♪ ♪ IN THE DARK WITH LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ IN THE DARK WITH LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ IT'S ALL THAT I SEE ♪ ♪ GONNA GIVE YOU EVERYTHING ♪ ♪ BABY LOVE ME LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ BABY LOVE ME LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ TURN THE LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ YOU LOVE ME ♪ ♪ JUST KISS ME ♪ ♪ YOU LOVE ME LIKE X, O ♪ ♪ I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING ♪ ♪ BABY LOVE ME LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ BABY LOVE ME LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ TURN THE LIGHTS OUT ♪ ♪ OOOH, OOOH ♪ ♪ OOOH, OOOH, OOOH ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ DIDN'T EVEN PUT UP A FIGHT ♪ ♪ DIDN'T EVEN MAKE A SOUND ♪ ♪ I FOUND A WAY TO LET YOU IN ♪ ♪ BUT I NEVER REALLY HAD A DOUBT ♪ ♪ AND IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR HALO ♪ ♪ GOT MY ANGEL NOW ♪ ♪ BEEN AWAKENED ♪ ♪ EVERY RULE I HAD YOU BREAKING ♪ ♪ BABY WHEN I LOOK NOW SURROUNDED BY YOUR EMBRACE ♪ ♪ BABY I CAN SEE YOUR HALO ♪ ♪ YOU WON'T FADE AWAY ♪ ♪ HALO HALO HALO ♪ ♪ HALO ♪ ♪ LET ME SEE YOUR HALO HALO HALO ♪ ♪ HALO ♪ ♪ HALO HALO HALO ♪ ♪ LET ME SEE YOUR HALO HALO HALO ♪ ♪ HALO ♪ ♪ HALO WON'T FADE AWAY ♪ ♪ HALO WON'T FADE AWAY AWAY AWAY ♪ ♪ NO, DON'T FADE AWAY ♪ ♪ HALO DON'T FADE AWAY ♪ ♪ HALO HALO DON'T FADE AWAY ♪ ♪ HALO-OO ♪ ♪ I CAN FEEL IT ♪ ♪ OOOH OOOH, I CAN FEEL IT ♪ ♪ YOU WILL BE ♪ ♪ OOH, OOH, YOUR HALO ♪ ♪♪ [ APPLAUSE ] >>> YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BE ONLY 18 YEARS AND 5 MONTHS OLD, BUT THIS GUY CAN DO EVERYTHING THAT THE VETERANS DO AND DO IT BETTER PERHAPS, KOBE BRYANT. ♪♪ >> PLEASE WELCOME, KOBE BRYANT. ♪ HERE'S TO THE ONE THAT WE GOT ♪ ♪ CHEERS WISH YOU WERE HERE BUT YOU'RE NOT ♪ ♪ LOOKING BACK ON ALL THE MEMORIES OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH ♪ ♪ GOES TO THE ONES THAT WERE THERE ♪ ♪ GOES TO THE ONES THAT WE LOVED ♪ ♪ BRINGS BACK ALL THE MEMORIES ♪ ♪ THE MEMORIES ♪ ♪ BRING BACK MEMORIES ♪ ♪ THERE'S A MEMORY I DO REMEMBER ♪ ♪ WILL I BELIEVE IN EVERYTHING ♪ ♪ EVERYTHING WILL STAY THE SAME ♪ ♪ NOW MY HEART FEEL LIKE DECEMBER WHEN SOMEBODY STAY ALL DAY ♪ ♪ I CAN'T REACH OUT TO CALL YOU ♪ ♪ EVERYBODY HURTS SOME TIMES ♪ ♪ EVERYBODY HURTS SOME DAYS ♪ ♪ EVERYTHING GONNA BE ALL RIGHT ♪ ♪ HERE'S TO THE ONES THAT WE LOVE ♪ >> YOU WORK HARD SOMETIMES THOSE DREAMS COME TRUE. THE TIMES YOU STAY UP LATE AND WORK HART, GET UP EARLY AND WORK HARD, THE TIMES YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE WORKING BUT YOU PUSH YOURSELF ANYWAY, THAT'S THE DREAM. THAT'S THE DREAM. IT'S NOT THE DESTINATION, IT'S THE JOURNEY. IF YOU GUYS CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, THEN WHAT YOU'LL SEE HAPPEN IS YOU WON'T ACCOMPLISH YOUR DREAMS, YOUR DREAMS WON'T COME TRUE, SOMETHING GREATER WILL. ♪ THAT'S A TIME THAT I REMEMBER ♪ ♪ WHEN I NEVER THOUGHT FOR LONG ♪ ♪ NOW MY HEART REMEMBER ♪ ♪ AND IT'S LOUD ENOUGH ♪ ♪ YOU KNOW I'LL NEVER STOP ♪ ♪ EVERYBODY HURTS SOMETIMES ♪ ♪ EVERYBODY HURTS SOME DAYS ♪ ♪ EVERYTHING GONNA BE ALL RIGHT ♪ ♪ HERE'S TO THE ONES THAT WE GOT ♪ ♪ HERE'S TO THE WISH YOU WERE HERE BUT YOU'RE NOT ♪ ♪ TO THE ONES THAT WE LOVE ♪ ♪ AND THE MEMORIES ♪ ♪ BRING BACK MEMORIES ♪ ♪ BRING BACK ♪ ♪♪ >>> YOU GUYS WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY HEART. I SINCERELY APPRECIATE IT. NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE HOW I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. I LOVE YOU GUYS. I LOVE YOU GUYS. ♪♪ >> WHAT CAN I SAY, MAMBA OUT. [ APPLAUSE ] ♪♪ >> OUR THANKS GO OUT TO BEYONCE FOR EXPRESSING HER LOVE SO BEAUTIFULLY. ANOTHER FRIEND OF THE FAMILY IS HERE TO HELP GUIDE US THROUGH THE CELEBRATION. WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME JIMMY KIMMEL. [ APPLAUSE ] >> WELL, YOU PICKED THE WRONG PERSON TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR GATHERING TO CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF ALYSSA ALTOBELLI, HER PARENTS, JOHN AND KERRY ALTOBELLI, PAYTON CHESTER, HER MOTHER SARAH CHESTER, CHRISTINA MAUSER, ARA ZABIAN, GIGI BRYANT AND HER FATHER, KOBE BRYANT. THIS IS A SAD DAY, BUT IT IS ALSO A CELEBRATION OF LIFE OF THEIR LIVES AND OF LIFE ITSELF IN THE BUILDING WHERE THOSE OF US WHO ARE LAKERS FANS AND KOBE FANS CELEBRATED SO MANY OF THE BEST TIMES OF OUR LIVES. AND I'M HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK HERE. THE PROCEEDS FROM THE TICKETS YOU BOUGHT GO DIRECTLY TO THE MAMBA AND MAMBACITA SPORTS FOUNDATION, WHICH SUPPORTS YOUTH SPORTS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO MAMBAONTHREE.ORG TO GIVE TO THE MAMBA ON THREE FUND WHICH WAS CREATED TO PROVIDE HONOR AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE FAMILIES. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW PAINFUL THIS IS FOR THEM. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US COULD HAVE IMAGINED THIS. EVERYWHERE YOU GO, YOU SEE HIS FACE, HIS NUMBER. GIGI'S FACE, GIGI'S NUMBER. EVERYWHERE. AT EVERY INTERSECTION. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF MURALS PAINTED BY ARTISTS WHO WERE INSPIRED. NOT BECAUSE HE'S A BASKETBALL PLAYER, BUT BECAUSE KOBE WAS AN ARTIST TOO. AND NOT JUST IN L.A., ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IN KOBE'S HOMETOWN, PHILADELPHIA, IN ITALY, IN INDIA, THE PHILIPPINES, CHINA, NEW YORK, PHOENIX, BOSTON FOR GOD'S SAKE. IN PLACES WHERE HE WOULD BE BOOED ON THE COURT, KOBE IS MISSED. EVEN THE GREAT BOSTON CELTIC BILL RUSSELL WORE NUMBER 24 AND A LAKER'S JERSEY TO YESTERDAY'S GAME. [ APPLAUSE ] >> I KNEW HE WOULD COME TO US EVENTUALLY. TODAY WE'RE JOINED BY KOBE'S TEAMMATES AND OPPONENTS ALIKE. HIS FRIENDS, HIS FAMILY, AND HIS FANS, AS WE TRY AND MAKE SENSE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE NINE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WHO WERE, BY ALL ACCOUNTS, SO FULL OF LIFE, WHO LEFT BEHIND PARENTS, FRIENDS, COWORKERS, CLASSMATES, SIBLINGS AND CHILDREN. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING POSITIVE TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS. AND IT WAS HARD, BECAUSE THERE ISN'T MUCH. BUT THE BEST THING I THINK I WAS ABLE TO COME UP WITH IS THIS. GRATITUDE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ALL WE CAN DO IS BE GRATEFUL FOR THE TIME WE HAD WITH THEM AND THE TIME WE HAVE LEFT WITH EACH OTHER. AND THAT'S ALL. IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, YOU KNOW, WHICH THE BRYANT FAMILY IS PART OF, AT MASS WE SHARE THE SIGN OF PEACE. THIS IS A MOMENT TO HUG OR SHAKE HANDS WITH PEOPLE AROUND YOU, AND IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ONLY SEEMS TO HAPPEN AT CHURCH AND AT SPORTING EVENTS. WHEN PERFECT STRANGERS WHO LOVE THE SAME TEAM ARE SUDDENLY HUGGING AND HIGH FIVING AND CELEBRATING TOGETHER. SO SINCE WE ARE HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE, I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU RIGHT NOW TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY HELLO TO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU, WHETHER YOU KNOW THEM OR NOT. TO BE GRATEFUL FOR LIFE AND FOR THE FACT WE ARE ALL HERE TOGETHER. >> KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! >> AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE PERSON WHO INVITED US ALL HERE TODAY ON 2/24, BECAUSE SHE KNEW WE NEEDED IT. WE CANNOT CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF KOBE AND GIGI AND ALL THE PEOPLE WE LOST WITHOUT HONORING THE WOMAN THAT KOBE AND GIGI LOVED MOST. PLEASE WELCOME, VANESSA BRYANT. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. IT MEANS SO MUCH TO US. LOVE YOU TOO. FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING TODAY. THE OUTPOURING OF LOVE AND SUPPORT THAT MANY FAMILY HAS FELT FROM AROUND THE WORLD HAS BEEN SO UPLIFTING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS. I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT BOTH KOBE AND GIGI. BUT I'LL START WITH MY BABY GIRL FIRST. MY BABY GIRL. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> GIANNA BRYANT IS AN AMAZINGLY SWEET AND GENTLE SOUL. SHE WAS ALWAYS THOUGHTFUL. SHE ALWAYS KISSED ME GOOD NIGHT AND KISSED ME GOOD MORNING. THERE WERE A FEW OCCASIONS I WAS TIRED FROM BEING UP, AND I THOUGHT SHE LEFT FOR SCHOOL WITHOUT SAYING GOOD-BYE. I TEXT AND SAY NO KISS. AND GIANNA WOULD REPLY WITH, MAMA I KISSED YOU, BUT YOU WERE ASLEEP AND I DIDN'T WANT TO WAKE YOU. SHE KNEW HOW MUCH HER MORNING AND EVENING KISSES MEANT TO ME, AND SHE WAS SO THOUGHTFUL TO REMEMBER TO KISSIMMEE EVERY DAY. SHE WAS DADDY'S GIRL, BUT I KNOW SHE LOVED HER MAMA. SHE WOULD ALWAYS SHOW AND TELL ME HOW MUCH SHE LOVED ME. SHE WAS ONE OF MY VERY BEST FRIENDS. SHE LOVED TO BAKE, SHE LOVED PUTTING A SMILE ON EVERYONE'S FACE. LAST AUGUST, SHE MADE A BEAUTIFUL BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR HER DADDY. IT HAD FONDANT AND HAD BLUE CRYSTALS. KOBE'S BIRTHDAY CAKE LOOKED LIKE IT WAS PROFESSIONALLY DECORATED. SHE MADE THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. SHE LOVED WATCHING COOKING SHOWS WITH ME AND SURVIVOR AND NBA GAMES ON TV WITH HER DADDY AND WATCHING DISNEY MOVIES WITH HER SISTER. SHE WAS COMPETITIVE LIKE HER DADDY BUT SHE HAD A SWEET GRACE ABOUT HER. HER SMILE WAS LIKE SUNSHINE. HER SMILE TOOK UP HER ENTIRE FACE, LIKE MINE. KOBE ALWAYS SAID SHE WAS ME. SHE HAD MY FIRE, MY PERSONALITY AND SARCASM. SHE WAS TENDER AND LOVING ON THE INSIDE. SHE HAD THE BEST LAUGH. IT WAS INFECTIOUS. IT WAS PURE AND GENUINE. KOBE AND GIANNA NATURALLY GRAVITATED TOWARDS EACH OTHER. SHE HAD KOBE'S ABILITY TO LISTEN TO A SONG AND HAVE ALL THE LYRICS MEMORIZED AFTER LISTENING TO THE SONG A COUPLE OF TIMES. IT WAS THEIR SECRET TALENT. SHE WAS AN INCREDIBLE ATHLETE. SHE WAS GREAT AT GYMNASTICS, SOCCER, SOFTBALL, DANCE AND BASKETBALL. SHE WAS AN INCREDIBLE DANCER, TOO. SHE LOVED TO SWIM, DANCE, DO CARTWHEELS AND JUMP INTO OUR SWIMMING POOL. AND GIGI LOVED HER TICTOK DANCES. SHE WAS CONFIDENT BUT NOT IN AN ARROGANT WAY. SHE LOVED TEACHING AND HELPING THINGS. AT SCHOOL SHE OFFERED THE BOY'S BASKETBALL COACH TO GIVE THE BOYS SOME POINTERS LIKE THE TRIANGLE OFFENSE. SHE WAS LIKE HER DADDY, IN THAT THEY BOTH LIKED TO TEACH PEOPLE NEW THINGS AND HELP THEM MASTER IT. GIGI WAS VERY SWEET, SHE ALWAYS MADE SURE EVERYONE WAS OKAY. SHE WAS OUR SHEPPARD. SHE KEPT OUR FAMILY TOGETHER. SHE LOVED FAMILY TRADITIONS, MOVIE NIGHT AND GAME NIGHT ON VACATIONS WERE IMPORTANT TO HER. GIGI ALWAYS LOOKED OUT FOR EVERYONE. SHE WAS VERY MUCH IN TUNE WITH OUR FEELINGS AND WANTED THE BEST FOR US. GIANNA WAS SMART. SHE KNEW HOW TO READ, SPEAK AND WRITE MANDARIN. SHE KNEW SPANISH. SHE HAD GREAT GRADES AND KEPT THEM UP, ALL WHILE BECOMING AN INCREDIBLE BASKETBALL PLAYER. SHE WAS PRESIDENT OF SCHOOL SPIRIT, ON STUDENT COUNSEL, DIRECTOR'S ASSISTANT AT HER SCHOOL PLAY. SHE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO GRADUATING EIGHTH GRADE AND MOVING TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH HER BIG SISTER NATALIA. SHE WAS REALLY HAPPY. GIANNA MADE US ALL PROUD AND SHE STILL DOES. GIANNA NEVER TRIED TO CONFORM. SHE WAS ALWAYS HERSELF. SHE WAS A NICE PERSON, A LEADER, A TEACHER, WEARING A WHITE T, BLACK LEGGINGS, DEMIN JACKET, AND CONVERSE WAS HER GO-TO STYLE. SHE HAD SO MUCH SWAG AND RHYTHM EVER SINCE SHE WAS A BABY. SHE GAVE THE BEST HUGS AND THE BEST KISSES. SHE HAD GORGEOUS, SOFT LIPS LIKE HER DADDY. SHE WOULD HUG ME AND HOLD HER SO TIGHT I COULD FEEL HER LOVE ME. I LOVED THE WAY SHE LOOKED UP AT ME WHILE HUGGING ME. IT WAS AS IF SHE WAS SOAKING ME ALL IN. WE LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH. I MISS HER SO MUCH. SHE WAS SO ENERGETIC. I COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH HER ENERGY. SHE LAPPED NATALIA AND I ON A TRACK ONCE, SHE WAS ABOUT 6 YEARS OLD. WE LET HER HAVE A HEAD START, SHE STILL DUSTED US. I MISS HER SWEET KISSES, HER CLEVERNESS, HER SARCASM, HER WIT AND THAT ADORABLE SLY SMILE FOLLOWED WITH A GRIN AND A BURST OF LAUGHTER. WE SHARED THE SAME CAT THAT ATE THE CANARY GRIN. GIGI WAS SUNSHINE, SHE BRIGHTENED UP MY DAY EVERY DAY. I MISS LOOKING AT HER BEAUTIFUL FACE. SHE WAS ALWAYS SO GOOD, A RULE FOLLOWER. I KNEW I COULD ALWAYS COUNT ON HER TO DO THE RIGHT THING. SHE WAS THE MOST LOVING DAUGHTER, THOUGHTFUL LITTLE SISTER AND SILLY BIG SISTER. SHE HAPPILY HELPED CARRY THE DIAPER BAG OR PLAY WITH THEM. SHE HELPED ME WITH BEE YAP A AND CAPRI. BIANCA LOVED GOING TO THE PLAYGROUND WITH GIGI. I TOLD GIGI COCOA WAS HER FAVORITE SISTER. CAPRI REMINDS ME A LOT OF GIANNA. THEY LOOK ALIKE AND JUST SMILE WITH THEIR WHOLE FACE, PURE JOY. WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE GIGI GO TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH NATALIA AND ASK HER HOW HER DAY WENT. WE DIDN'T GET THE CHANCE TO TEACH HER HOW TO DRIVE A CAR. I WON'T BE ABLE TO TELL HER HOW GORGEOUS SHE LOOKS ON HER WEDDING DAY. I'LL NEVER GET TO SEE MY BABY GIRL WALK DOWN THE AILES, HAVE A FATHER/DAUGHTER DANCE WITH HER DADDY, DANCE ON THE DANCE FLOOR WITH ME OR HAVE BABIES OF HER OWN. GIANNA WOULD HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING MOMMY. SHE WAS VERY MATERNAL EVER SINCE SHE WAS LITTLE. GIGI LIKELY WOULD HAVE BECOME THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WNBA. SHE WOULD HAVE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE -- [ APPLAUSE ] -- SHE WOULD HAVE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR WOMEN'S BASKETBALL. GIGI WAS MOTIVATED TO CHANGE THE WAY EVERYONE VIEWED WOMEN IN SPORTS. SHE WROTE PAPERS IN SCHOOL DEFENDING WOMEN AND WROTE ABOUT HOW THE UNEQUAL PAY DIFFERENCE FOR THE NBA AND WNBA LEAGUES WASN'T FAIR. I FEEL SHE MADE POSITIVE CHANGES FOR THE PLAYERS NOW, SINCE THEY KNEW GIGI'S GOAL WAS TO PLAY IN THE WNBA. I'M SO PROUD OF GIANNA, SHE MADE A DIFFERENCE AND WAS KIND TO EVERYONE SHE MET AND THE 13 YEARS SHE WAS HERE ON EARTH. HER CLASSMATES SHARED MANY FOND MEMORIES OF GIANNA WITH US. THEY REMINDED ME THAT GIANNA LOVED AND SHOWED EVERYONE NO ACT OF KINDNESS IS EVER TOO SMALL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE'S LIFE. SHE WAS ALWAYS CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS AND THEIR FEELINGS. SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL, KIND, HAPPY, THOUGHTFUL, LOVING DAUGHTER AND SISTER. SHE WAS SO FULL OF LIFE AND HAD SO MUCH MORE TO OFFER THIS WORLD. I CANNOT IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT HER. MOMMY, NATALIA, BIANCA AND CAPRI LOVE AND MISS YOU SO MUCH GIANNA. I WILL MISS YOUR HAND MADE CARDS, SWEET KISSES, AND GORGEOUS SMILE. I MISS YOU, ALL OF YOU EVERY DAY. I LOVE YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> OKAY. NOW FOR MY SOULMATE. KOBE WAS KNOWN AS A FIERCE COMPETITOR ON THE BASKETBALL COURT. THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME, A WRITER, AN OSCAR WINNER AND THE BLACK MAMBA. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] BUT TO ME, HE WAS KOB-KOB. MY BOO-BOO. MINISKI. I COULDN'T SEE HIM AS A CELEBRITY NOR JUST AN INCREDIBLE BASKETBALL PLAYER. HE WAS MY SWEET HUSBAND AND BEAUTIFUL FATHER OF OUR CHILDREN. HE WAS MY -- HE WAS MY EVERYTHING. KOBE AND I HAVE BEEN TOGETHER SINCE I WAS 17 1/2 YEARS OLD. I WAS HIS FIRST GIRLFRIEND, HIS FIRST LOVE, HIS WIFE, HIS BEST FRIEND, HIS CONFIDANT AND HIS PROTECTOR. HE WAS THE MOST AMAZING HUSBAND. KOBE LOVED ME MORE THAN I COULD EVER EXPRESS OR PUT INTO WORDS. HE WAS THE EARLY BIRD AND I WAS THE NIGHT OWL. I WAS FIRE AND HE WAS ICE AND VICE VERSA AT TIMES. WE BALANCED EACH OTHER OUT. HE WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR ME. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I DESERVED A MAN THAT LOVED AND WANTED ME MORE THAN KOBE. HE WAS CHARISMATIC, A GENTLEMAN. HE WAS LOVING, ADORING AND ROMANTIC. HE WAS TRULY THE ROMANTIC ONE IN OUR RELATIONSHIP. I LOOKED FORWARD TO VALENTINE'S DAY AND OUR ANNIVERSARIES EVERY YEAR. HE PLANNED SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY TRIPS AND A SPECIAL TRADITIONAL GIFT FOR EVERY YEAR OF OUR MARRIAGE. HE EVEN HANDMADE MY MOST TREASURED GIFT. HE THOUGHT OUTSIDE THE BOX AND WAS SO THOUGHTFUL, EVEN WHILE WORKING HARD TO BE THE BEST ATHLETE. HE WOULD GIVE TO ME THE ACTUAL NOTEBOOK AND THE BLUE DRESS RACHEL McADAMS WORE IN "THE NOTEBOOK," THE MOVIE. I ASKED HIM WHY HE CHOSE THAT DRESS, HE SAID BECAUSE IT'S THE SCENE WHEN ALI COMES BACK TO NOAH. WE HAD HOPED TO GROW OLD TOGETHER LIKE THE MOVIE. WE HAD AN AMAZING LOVE STORY. WE LOVED EACH OTHER WITH OUR WHOLE BEING, TWO PERFECTLY IMPERFECT PEOPLE, MAKING A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY AND RAISING OUR SWEET AND AMAZING GIRLS. A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THEY PASSED, WE PLANNED TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER JUST THE TWO OF US, WITHOUT OUR KIDS, BECAUSE I'M HIS BEST FRIEND FIRST. WE NEVER GOT THE CHANCE TO DO IT. WE WERE BUSY TAKING CARE OF OUR GIRLS AND JUST DOING OUR REGULAR, EVERYDAY RESPONSIBILITIES. BUT I'M THANKFUL I HAVE THAT RECENT TEXT. IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME. KOBE WANTED US TO RENEW OUR VOWS. HE WANTED NATALIA TO TAKE OVER HIS COMPANY AND HE WANTED TO TRAVEL THE WORLD TOGETHER. WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT HOW WE WOULD BE THE FUN GRANDPARENTS TO OUR DAUGHTERS' CHILDREN. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE COOLEST GRANDPA. KOBE WAS THE MVP OF GIRL DADS, OR MVD. HE NEVER LEFT THE TOILET SEAT UP. [ LAUGHTER ] HE ALWAYS TOLD THE GIRLS HOW BEAUTIFUL AND SMART THEY ARE. HE TAUGHT THEM HOW TO BE BRAVE AND HOW TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH. AND WHEN KOBE RETIRED FROM THE NBA, HE TOOK OVER DROPPING OFF AND PICKING UP OUR GIRLS FROM SCHOOL SINCE I WAS HOME PREGNANT WITH BIANKA AND RECENTLY HOME NURSING CAPRI. WHEN KOBE WAS PLAYING I USED TO SHOW UP AN HOUR EARLY TO BE THE FIRST IN LINE TO PICK UP NATALIA AND GIANNA FIRST FROM SCHOOL AND TOLD HIM HE COULDN'T DROP THE BALL ONCE HE TOOK OVER. HE WAS LATE ONE TIME AND WE MOST DEFINITELY LET HIM KNOW THAT I WAS NEVER LATE. SO HE SHOWED UP ONE HOUR AND 20 MINUTES EARLY AFTER THAT. HE ALWAYS KNEW THERE WAS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AND WANTED TO DO BETTER. HE HAPPILY DID CARPOOL AND ENJOYED SPENDING TIME IN THE CAR WITH OUR GIRLS. HE WAS A DOTING FATHER, A FATHER THAT WAS HANDS ON AND PRESENT. HE HELP IMMEDIATE BATHE BIANKA AND CAPRI ALMOST EVERY NIGHT. HE WOULD SING THEM SILLY SONGS IN THE SHOWER AND CONTINUE MAKING THEM LAUGH AND SMILE AS HE LATHERED, THEN LOTIONED AND GOT THEM READY TO BED. HE HAD MAGIC ARMS THAT COULD PUT CAPRI TO SLEEP IN ONLY MINUTES. HE SAID HE HAD IT DOWN TO A SCIENCE, EIGHT TIMES UP AND DOWN OUR HALLWAY. HE LOVED TAKING BIANKA TO FASHION ISLAND AND WATCHING HER PLAY IN THE KOI POND AREA. THE MOST RECENT TIME TO THE KOI POND WAS THE EVENING BEFORE HE AND GIGI PASSED. HE SHARED A LOVE OF MOVIES AND BREAKDOWN OF FILMS WITH NATALIA, ENJOYED RENTING OUT THEATERS AND TAKING NATALIA TO SEE THE NEWEST "STAR WARS" MOVIE OR "HARRY POTTER" FILM. THEY HAD MOVIE MARATHONS AND HE LOVED EVERY SECOND OF T HE LOVED THE TYPICAL TEAR JERKERS, TOO, WATCHING "STEEL MAGNOLIAS" AND "LITTLE WOMEN." KOBE SOMEHOW KNEW WHERE I WAS AT ALL TIMES. SPECIFICALLY WHEN I WAS LATE TO HIS GAMES. HE WOULD WORRY ABOUT ME IF I WASN'T IN MY SEAT AT THE START OF EACH GAME AND WOULD ASK SECURITY WHERE I WAS AT THE FIRST TIME-OUT OF THE FIRST QUARTER, AND MY SMART ASS WOULD TELL HIM THAT HE WASN'T GOING TO DROP 81 POINTS WITHIN THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OF THE GAME. [ LAUGHTER ] I THINK ANYONE WITH KIDS UNDERSTANDS THAT SOMETIMES WE CAN'T MAKE IT OUT THE DOOR ON TIME AND EVENTUALLY HE WAS USED TO MY TARDINESS AND BALLED OUT. THE FACT THAT HE COULD PLAY ON AN INTENSE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL AND STILL BE CONCERNED BY MAKING SURE WE MADE IT TO THE GAMES SAFELY WAS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW FAMILY CAME FIRST TO HIM. HE LOVED BEING GIANNA'S BASKETBALL COACH. HE TOLD ME HE WISHED HE HAD CONVINCED NATALIA TO PLAY BASKETBALL SO THEY COULD HAVE SPENT MORE TIME TOGETHER. BUT HE ALSO WANTED HER TO PURSUE HER OWN PASSION. HE WATCHED NATALIA PLAY IN A VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT ON HER BIRTHDAY AND HE NOTICED HOW SHE'S A VERY INTELLIGENT PLAYER. HE WAS CONVINCED SHE WOULD HAVE MADE A GREAT POINT GUARD WITH HER VISION OF THE COURT. AND HE TOLD ME HE WANTED BIANKA AND CAPRI TO TAKE UP BASKETBALL WHEN THEY GOT OLDER SO HE COULD SPEND JUST AS MUCH TIME WITH THEM AS HE DID WITH GIGI. HE ALWAYS TOLD BIANKA AND CAPRI THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GROW UP AND PLAY BASKETBALL. NOW THEY WON'T HAVE THEIR DADDY AND SISTER HERE TO TEACH THEM, AND THAT IS TRULY A LOSS I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. BUT I'M SO THANKFUL KOBE HEARD COCO SAY "DADA." HE WON'T BE HERE TO DROP BIANKA AND CAPRI OFF AT PRE-K OR KINDERGARTEN. HE WON'T BE HERE TO TELL ME, GET A GRIP, V, WHEN WE HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR CLASSROOM, OR SHOW UP AT DOCTORS' VISITS FOR MY OWN MORAL SUPPORT. HE WON'T BE ABLE TO WALK THE KIDS DOWN THE AISLE OR SPIN ME AROUND WHILE SINGING PYT TO ME. I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW AND REMEMBER THE AMAZING PERSON, HUSBAND AND FATHER HE WAS, THE KIND OF MAN THAT WANTED TO TEACH FUTURE GENERATIONS TO BE BETTER AND KEEP THEM FROM MAKING HIS OWN MISTAKES. HE ALWAYS LIKED WORKING AND DOING PROJECTS TO IMPROVE KIDS' LIVES. HE TAUGHT US ALL VALUABLE LESSONS ABOUT LIFE AND SPORTS THROUGH HIS NBA CAREER, HIS BOOKS, HIS SHOW DETAILS AND HIS PODCAST SERIES. WE'RE SO THANKFUL HE LEFT THOSE LESSONS AND STORIES BEHIND FOR US. HE WAS THOUGHTFUL AND WROTE THE BEST LOVE LETTERS AND CARDS AND GIGI HAD HIS WONDERFUL ABILITY TO EXPRESS HER FEELINGS TO PAPER AND MAKE YOU FEEL HER LOVE THROUGH HER WORDS. SHE WAS THOUGHTFUL LIKE HIM. THEY WERE SO EASY TO LOVE. EVERYONE NATURALLY GRAVITATED TOWARD THEM. THEY WERE FUNNY, HAPPY, SILLY AND THEY LOVED LIFE. THEY WERE SO FULL OF JOY AND ADVENTURE. GOD KNEW THEY COULDN'T BE ON THIS EARTH WITHOUT EACH OTHER. HE HAD TO BRING THEM HOME TO HEAVEN TOGETHER. BABE, YOU TAKE CARE OF OUR GIGI. AND I GOT NATI, BIBI AND COCO. WE'RE STILL THE BEST TEAM. WE LOVE AND MISS YOU, BOO BOO AND GIGI. MAY YOU BOTH REST IN PEACE AND HAVE FUN IN HEAVEN UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN ONE DAY. WE LOVE YOU BOTH AND MISS YOU FOREVER AND ALWAYS, MOMMY. [ APPLAUSE ] >>> THE SPEAKER FROM WHOM WE ARE ABOUT TO HEAR WAS VERY SPECIAL TO THE BRYANT FAMILY. SHE'S THEIR DEAR FRIEND, WHO IS ALSO A FOUR-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST, THREE-TIME WNBA CHAMPION, THREE-TIME NCAA CHAMPION, WNBA'S ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER. IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO CONVINCE YOU THAT SHE'S THE BEST OF ALL TIME, KOBE GAVE HER THE GREATEST HONOR OF ALL. HE NICKNAMED HER AFTER HIMSELF. PLEASE WELCOME THE WHITE MAMBA, DIANA TERASSI. >> MY NAME IS DIANA TERASSI. THANK YOU, JIMMY. YOU STOLE MY FIRST JOKE. I AM THE WHITE MAMBA. I WOULD OFFICER LIKELY TO OFFER MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO ALL THE FAMILIES WHO LOST LOVED ONES. IN 1996, I WAS A LANKY, AWKWARD FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, OBSESSIVELY SHOOTING NIGHT AFTER NIGHT IN MY DRIVEWAY. ON THE NIGHT THE LAKERS PLAYED, I WOULDN'T MISS A SECOND OF THE GAME. EVERY TIME-OUT, EVERY COMMERCIAL, I WOULD RUN TO THE FRONT YARD TO IMITATE MY FAVORITE LAKER, KOBE. ON A FEW LUCKY OCCASIONS MY DAD WOULD COME HOME FROM WORK, HE WAS A METAL SHEET WORKER IN LOS ANGELES AND HE WOULD COME HOME WITH LAKER TICKETS. WATCHING KOBE PLAY THE GREAT WESTERN FORM AS A ROOKIE MADE THIS LITTLE GIRL BELIEVE SHE COULD BE A LAKER ONE DAY. IT WAS LIKE GETTING TO KNOW MYSELF EVERY SINGLE DAY. HE MADE IT OKAY TO PLAY WITH AN EDGE, BORDERLINE CRAZY. EARLY ON, MAMBA MENTALITY WAS IN FULL EFFECT. IN THE 2008 OLYMPICS, I LEARNED FIRSTHAND THAT IT JUST WASN'T LIMITED TO THE BASKETBALL COURT. HIS COMPETITIVE FIRE RAN THROUGH HIS VEINS, JUST LIKE MANY OF US TODAY. EVERY SINGLE WORKOUT I END THE SAME WAY, WITH THE KOBE GAME WINNER. THREE HARD DRIBBLES GOING RIGHT, LEFT FOOT PLANT PIVOT, SWING RIGHT LEG THROUGH, ELEVATE, SQUARE UP, FOLLOW THROUGH. GOT TO GO HOME, THAT EXACT SAME SHOP THAT WON US THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN PHOENIX IN 2014. KOBE'S WILLINGNESS TO DO THE HARD WORK AND MAKE THE SACRIFICE EVERY SINGLE DAY INSPIRED ME AND RESONATED WITH THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. WE STRUGGLED TOGETHER. WE GREW TOGETHER. WE CELEBRATED VICTORIES TOGETHER. THE SAME PASSION WE ALL RECOGNIZED IN KOBE OBVIOUSLY GIGI INHERITED. HER SKILL WAS UNDENIABLE AT AN EARLY AGE. WHO WAS A FADEAWAY JUMPER AT 11? LeBRON BARELY GOT HIS TODAY. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] BUT IT WAS HER CURIOSITY ABOUT THE GAME THAT WAS PUSHING HER TO PICK UP THE BASKETBALL EVERY SINGLE DAY. GIGI WAS IN THE MIDST OF THE BEST TIMES OF THE BASKETBALL CAREER, NO RESPONSIBILITIES, NO EXPECTATIONS, JUST BASKETBALL WITH YOUR BEST FRIENDS. EVERY WEEKEND WAS A NEW ADVENTURE, AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, HOW TO WORK AND GROW TOGETHER AS A UNIT. AS A YOUNG KID, THERE'S NOTHING YOU LOOK FORWARD TO MORE THAN LONG, HOT SUMMER DAYS IN THE GYM WITH YOUR HOMIES. THE SAME WAY HE INSPIRED PLAYERS, GIGI IN TEACHING THE GAME. I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO RECEIVED A TEXT FROM KOBE ASKING WHAT DRILLS THEY WOULD DO WHEN THEY WERE 13. GIGI, IN MANY WAYS, REPRESENTS THE FUTURE OF WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, WHERE A YOUNG WOMAN ASPIRES TO BE IN THE WNBA, THE SAME WAY I WANTED TO BE A LAKER. GIGI ALREADY HAD A GOAL TO PLAY FOR UCONN. THAT, IN ITSELF, SHOWED HER FEARLESS MENTALITY. SHE REPRESENTS A TIME WHERE YOUNG GIRLS DON'T NEED A PERMISSION TO PLAY. HER SKILL WOULD COMMAND RESPECT. THE LAST TIME I SAW GIGI, THE MAMBAS WERE IN PHOENIX FOR A TOURNAMENT. KOBE BROUGHT THEM TO THE LOCKER ROOM TO WATCH PRACTICE. I ALWAYS REMEMBER THE LOOK ON GIGI'S FACE. IT WAS A LOOK OF EXCITEMENT, A LOOK OF BELONGING, A LOOK OF FIERCE DETERMINATION. AS A DAUGHTER, A SISTER, WIFE AND MOTHER, WE EMBRACE VANESSA, NATALIA, BIANKA AND CAPRI. WE PROMISE TO CARRY GIGI'S LEGACY. KOBE, GIGI. [ SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> JUST AS HER FATHER WAS TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER, OUR NEXT SPEAKER WAS TO GIANNA. MENTORS KNOW NO GENDER, RACE, JUST KNOW THEY'RE HERE TO IMPACT OTHERS. AND ONE OF HER BEST TEACHERS, SHE WILL FLY BACK TO THE BAY AREA TO FACE STANFORD, UNDOUBTEDLY WITH HER THOUGHTS HERE EVER PRESENT IN HER MIND. NCAA ALL-TIME LEADER IN POINTS, ASSISTS AND LEE-POINT FIELD GOALS, SABRINA UNESCU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GROWING UP, I ONLY KNEW ONE WAY TO PLAY THE GAME OF BASKETBALL, FIERCE, WITH OBSESSIVE FOCUS. I WAS UNAPOLOGETICALLY COMPETITIVE. I WANTED TO BE THE BEST. I LOVED THE WORK, EVEN WHEN IT WAS HARD, ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS HARD. I KNEW I WAS DIFFERENT, THAT MY DRIVE WAS DIFFERENT. I GREW UP WATCHING KOBE BRYANT, GAME AFTER GAME, RING AFTER RING, LIVING HIS GREATNESS WITHOUT APOLOGY. I WANTED TO BE JUST LIKE HIM, TO LOVE EVERY PART OF THE COMPETITION, TO BE THE FIRST TO SHOW UP AND BE THE LAST TO LEAVE, TO LOVE THE GRIND, TO BE YOUR BEST WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL YOUR BEST AND MAKE OTHER PEOPLE AROUND YOU BEST VERSIONS OF THEMSELVES, AND TO WAKE UP AND DO IT AGAIN THE NEXT DAY. SO, THAT'S WHAT I DID. WAKE UP, GRIND AND GET BETTER. WAKE UP, GRIND AND GET BETTER. A YEAR AGO, MY TEAM, OREGON, WAS PLAYING AT USC. THE MORNING OF THE GAME, OUR COACHES TOLD US THAT THERE WAS A SURPRISE FOR THE DAY. I WAS THINKING THAT HE SENT US SOME NEW SHOES OR SWAG OR SOMETHING. THE GAME STARTS SHORTLY AFTER. KOBE WALKS IN WITH HIS DAUGHTER, GIANNA, AND TWO OF HER TEAMMATES. THEY SAT COURT SIDE WHILE MY JAW WAS DROPPED. THEY WATCHED THE ENTIRE GAME AND THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I MET KOBE. THEY CAME INTO THE LOCKER ROOM AFTER THE GAME AND CONGRATULATED US ON THE GAME BUT SAID, AND I'LL NEVER FORGET, DON'T SHOOT YOURSELVES IN THE FOOT. HE MEANT DON'T SETTLE. KEEP GRINDING. CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN. THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WASN'T FAR AND THE GOAL WAS TO WIN IT ALL. I REMEMBER GIGI, EXCITED AND SMILING IN THE LOCKER ROOM. I WOULD ALWAYS WATCH A TON OF FILM OF HER PLAYING BASKETBALL. SHE HAD A BETTER FADEAWAY THAN MINE. I ASKED HER WHERE SHE WANTED TO PLAY BASKETBALL IN COLLEGE AND SHE SAID UCONN. IF SHE WANTED TO GO THERE, I WANTED HER THERE AS WELL. SHE AND HER TEAMMATES HUNG OUT WITH US A WHILE, A LITTLE SHY BUT ALWAYS OBSERVING. WHICHEVER SCHOOL SHE WOULD COME TO CHOOSE, IT DIDN'T MATTER. IF I REPRESENTED THE PRESIDENT OF THE WOMEN'S GAME, GIGI WAS THE FUTURE AND KOBE KNEW IT. I WORKED OUT TWICE WITH GIGI OVER THE SUMMER, GONE DOWN TO HELP KOBE COACH HER TEAM. SHE HAD SO MUCH OF HER DAD'S SKILL SET. YOU COULD TELL THE AMOUNT OF HOURS THEY SPENT IN THE GYM PRACTICING HER MOVES. SHE SMILED ALL THE TIME BUT WHEN IT WAS GAME TIME, IT WAS TIME TO KILL. HER DEMEANOR CHANGED ONCE THE WHISTLE BLEW. SOMEONE GRABBED HER JERSEY ONE TIME AND SHE KNOCKED THEM DOWN AND STEPPED RIGHT OVER THEM. KOBE SAID I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE LERCHED THAT FROM. I LAUGHED AND SAID I DO. YOU CAN'T TEACH THAT, DEFINITELY AT HER AGE. KOBE WAS RIGHT, SHE HAD IT. I LOVED HOW MUCH SHE WORKED AND HOW MUCH HER TEAMMATES LOVEED HER AND HER DESIRE TO BE GREAT, TO GO TO EVERY GAME SHE COULD, COLLEGE, NBA, WNBA. KOBE WAS HELPING WITH THAT, BECAUSE HE SAW IT IN HER, JUST LIKE HE SAW IT IN ME. HIS VISION FOR OTHERS IS ALWAYS BIGGER THAN WHAT THEY IMAGINE FOR THEMSELVES. HIS VISION FOR ME WAS WAY BIGGER THAN MY OWN. MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE DIDN'T JUST SHOW UP IN MY LIFE AND LEAVE. HE STAYED. WE KEPT IN TOUCH, ALWAYS TEXTING, CALLS, GAME VISITS. I WOULD DROP A TRIPLE-DOUBLE, HAVE A TEXT FROM HIM, ANOTHER TRIPLE-DOUBLE I WOULD SEE. ANOTHER GAME, ANOTHER TEXT, YO, BEAST MODE OR EASY MONEY. I FELT PRESSURE EARLY ON IN THE SEASON AND HE WROTE TO ME, BE YOU. IT'S BEEN GOOD ENOUGH AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE GOOD ENOUGH. HE TAUGHT ME TO STEP BACK AND TOLD ME IT WOULD BE OVER FOR ANY DEFENDER TRYING TO GUARD ME. HE TOLD ME HOW HIGH MY ARC NEEDS TO BE ON MY SHOT, HOW TO ANGLE MY FOOT, WHICH LED TO KICKOUT, HOW MUCH POWER TO PUSH OFF. REAL SHARPNESS COMES WITHOUT EFFORT, HE SAID. HE WAS GIVING ME THE BLUEPRINT. HE WAS GIVING GIGI THE SAME BLUEPRINT. HE UNITED US. HE MADE US FEEL TO OUTSIDERS EVERYONE ELSE. WHO WAS DRIVEN TO BE DIFFERENT EVERY SINGLE DAY, TO MAKE THOSE AROUND HIM, ABOVE HIM AND BEHIND THEM BETTER EVERY SINGLE DAY AND THEY WEREN'T THE EXCEPTION. THEY WERE THE RULE. I WANTED TO BE PART OF THE GENERATION THAT CHANGED BASKETBALL FOR GIGI AND HER TEAMMATES, WHERE IT MEANT BEING BORN FEMALE DIDN'T MEAN BEING BEHIND, WHERE GREATNESS WASN'T DIVIDED BY GENDER. YOU HAVE TOO MUCH GREATNESS TO SAY SILENT. THROUGH GIGI, THROUGH ME, THROUGH HIS INVESTMENT IN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL. THAT WAS HIS NEXT GREAT ACT, A GIRL DAD, BASKETBALL IN MANY WAYS WAS JUST A METAPHOR. I STILL TEXT HIM EVEN THOUGH HE'S NOT HERE. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. THE REST IS FOR YOU. REST EASY, MY GUY. THE LAST ONE I SENT HIM SAID I MISS YOU. MAY YOU REST IN PEACE, MY DEAR FRIEND. THE TEXTS GO THROUGH, BUT NO RESPONSE. IT STILL FEELS LIKE HE'S THERE ON THE OTHER END. SOMETIMES I FIND MYSELF STILL WAITING. IT'S SO STRANGE TO DESCRIBE HIM OR GIGI IN THE PAST TENSE. YOU DON'T GET USED TO THAT. NO ONE TELLS YOU THAT ABOUT GRIEF. THE WEEK AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I WAS IN COLORADO. I HAD A GAME AND, LIKE I DO BEFORE EVERY GAME, I PRAYED. THIS TIME I WAS THINKING ABOUT KOBE AND GIGI. HIS VOICE IS STILL IN MY HEAD, EVEN IF HIS BODY IS NOT ON THIS EARTH. AND ALL I WANTED WAS A SIGN THAT IN SOME WAY HE STILL HEARD ME, TOO. I LOOKED OFF INTO THE SKY AND THERE IT WAS, A BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN SUNSET. THE BOLDEST YELLOW, LAKERS YELLOW. AND FURTHER IN THE DISTANCE, A HELICOPTER. THERE WAS MY SIGN THAT HE WILL FOREVER BE WITH ME. I HEARD HIS VOICE IN MY HEAD, THE LAST LINE FROM ONE OF HIS BOOKS. WALK INTO THE DARKNESS OF THE MEMORY AND YOU BECOME THE SUN ON THE NEXT TRAVELER'S HORIZON. TODAY MAY FEEL LIKE DARKNESS. HE WAS IN SO MANY WAYS A SUN, BEAMING, RADIANT, AFFIXED IN THE SKY. I ASK EACH OF YOU, EVERY GIRL DAD, EVERY HUMAN HERE WITH A VOICE, A PLATFORM AND A HEART TO NOT LET HIS SUN SET. SHINE FOR US, FOR A SPORT WHERE HE ONCE DID. INVEST IN US IN THE SAME PASSION, DRIVE, RESPECT AND LOVE AS HE DID HIS OWN DAUGHTER. IN THE END, SHE WAS A SUN JUST STARTING TO RISE AND, GOD, DID SHE GLOW. MAY HER LIGHT FOREVER SHINE. COULDY KOBE AND GIGI, I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> AMONG THE MANY DREAMS GIANNA WOULD HAVE REALIZED IN HER LIFE WAS PLAYING FOR THE HUSKIES OF UCONN. ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF HER AND HER FATHER'S LIVES WAS A VISIT THEY MADE TO CAMPUS IN 2019. HERE TODAY, TO SPEAK ON HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH BOTH OF THEM IS THE 11-TIME NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP COACH OF THE HUSKIES, GENO AURIAMA. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THERE ARE SOME AMAZING WOMEN IN THIS ROOM, AREN'T THERE? [ APPLAUSE ] AND YOU JUST HEARD FROM THREE OF THEM. I'M GENO AURIAMA, THE COACH OF THE WOMEN'S UCONN BASKETBALL PROGRAM. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT BASKETBALL TODAY, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. I'M NOT HERE FOR THE BASKETBALL PART. I TRIED TO WRITE A LONG, FLOWING SPEECH ABOUT BASKETBALL, AND I CAN'T DO IT. THERE ARE TOO MANY THOUGHTS IN MY HEAD EVER SINCE I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK. TOO MANY THINGS THAT MADE ME REALIZE MORE THAT I'M HERE AS A FATHER, NOT AS A BASKETBALL COACH. AND US ITALIANS, WE'RE VERY, VERY EMOTIONAL PEOPLE. SO THE THOUGHTS THAT I STARTED TO HAVE, AFTER I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK, WERE OBVIOUSLY ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON BOARD. AND IF YOU'RE A FATHER, A GRANDFATHER, YOU FEEL A DIFFERENT -- A DIFFERENT KIND OF EMOTION WHEN THERE ARE CHILDREN, BECAUSE THIS IS ALWAYS ABOUT THE CHILDREN. WE'VE LIVED OUR LIVES. WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT LEFT. THEY'RE JUST STARTING THEIR LIVES. AND THEN MY NEXT THOUGHT CAME TO THE ORIGINAL TEAM THAT KOBE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR, NATALIA, BIANKA, CAPRI, VANESSA. BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS TEAMMATES, YOU KNOW. WE'RE ALWAYS ON A TEAM. SOMETIMES IT'S A BIG TEAM. SOMETIMES IT'S A SMALL TEAM. AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT TEAM. AND KOBE AND I SHARED SOME HISTORY. HE STARTED IN ITALY, WENT TO PHILADELPHIA, AND THEN WENT TO THE LIMELIGHT AND THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR OF L.A. BORN IN PHILADELPHIA, WENT TO PHILLY AND WENT TO THE COWS. THAT'S A JOKE BECAUSE THERE'S NO GLITZ AND GLAMOUR IN STEWARS, CONNECTICUT. HOW IRONIC HE WOULD TALK TO ME ABOUT COACHING. THE UNCOACHABLE ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT COACHING. PROBABLY THE MOST UNCOACHABLE PLAYER IN THE NBA DURING HIS CAREER WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT COACHING. AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHY. HE SAID I'M COACHING MY DAUGHTER'S TEAM. I SAID OH, MY GOD, THAT POOR KID. [ LAUGHTER ] SO WHEN I WATCHED HIGHLIGHTS OF HER PLAYING AND ON ABOUT THE THIRD OR FOURTH TIME SHE TOUCHED THE BALL, GIANNA PASSED IT WHEN SHE WAS OPEN. I THOUGHT, SHE'S NOT LISTENING TO HER FATHER. [ LAUGHTER ] SO HE WOULD CALL AND SAY WHAT KIND OF DEFENSIVE DRILLS SHOULD I DO? WE HAVE PRACTICE TONIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON DEFENSE. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN TEACHING MAN-TO-MAN, FURTHER PROOF HE NEVER LISTENED TO ONE WORD ANY OF HIS COACHES TOLD HIM. SO I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO HIM. I SAID KOBE, THEY'RE 13 YEARS OLD. YOU OUGHT TO JUST SAY HEY, TRY NOT TO LET HER GO BY YOU AND SEE THE KID WITH THE BALL OVER THERE, DON'T LET THEM THROW THE BALL TO YOUR GUY. KEEP IT KIND OF SIMPLE, YOU KNOW. HE SAID NO, I WANT TO KNOW LIKE WHAT ARE THE ROTATIONS? I SAID COME ON, COME ON, COME ON. THESE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD, BOTH AS BASKETBALL PEOPLE AND AS DADS WHO HAVE EVER COACHED THEIR KIDS IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN THAT SITUATION, LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN THIS ROOM HAVE BEEN. AND I REMEMBER WHEN GIGI CAME, AS YOU SAW IN THAT VIDEO, SHE CAME TO THE VERY FIRST GAME THAT SHE CAME TO, AND SHE CAME INTO THE LOCKER ROOM AND HERE SHE IS, AND THE LOOK ON HER FACE, THE SMILE, THE WAY HER EYES JUST TOOK EVERYTHING IN, HOW EXCITED SHE WAS TO BE AROUND, IN HER MIND, ROYALTY. IT WAS IRONIC. HER FATHER'S ROYALTY. AND SHE WAS EXCITED TO BE AROUND ROYALTY THAT LOOKS JUST LIKE WHAT SHE WANTS TO BE. AND THE MOST IMPRESSIVE THING ABOUT THAT POINT IN TIME IS HOW KOBE STEPPED AS FAR BACK AS HE COULD, SO ANYONE TAKING PICTURES, ANYONE THERE WOULD NOT KNOW THAT THIS WAS KOBE BRYANT'S DAUGHTER. THIS WAS HER MOMENT. THIS WAS HER TIME TO SHINE. THIS WAS HER TIME TO EXPERIENCE ALL THE THINGS THAT HE EXPERIENCED HIS WHOLE LIFE. HE WAS BEING DAD. HE WASN'T BEING KOBE BRYANT. AND HE WAS ALLOWING GIGI TO BE GIGI, NOT KOBE BRYANT'S DAUGHTER. IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE, THAT'S A HELL OF A THING FOR PARENTS TO BE ABLE TO DO. [ APPLAUSE ] I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU WITH JUST TWO THING. WE GOT A LETTER -- YOU DIDN'T SEE IT. SHE DID MEET THE ORGSZ DUCKS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM AND THEY ALL GATHERED AROUND AND SAID DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE? AND EVERYBODY RAN OVER AND GIGI GOES, NO, I'M GOOD. SHE KNEW WHERE HER HEART WAS. THAT LITTLE SARCASM, I'M GOOD. AND WHEN THEY CAME TO UCONN AND THEY SAT BEHIND THE BENCH, AND THERE'S DAD, BRINGING HIS DAUGHTER TO A GAME, AND THEY HAVE THEIR SHIRTS ON AND SHE'S GOT THIS COAT ON AND SHE HAS HER HAT ON, AND SHE'S JUST A LITTLE KID AT A GAME. AND, AGAIN, I FELT MORE LIKE A DAD THAN I FELT AS A BASKETBALL COACH, BECAUSE I'VE DONE THAT WITH MY KIDS. AND LASTLY, NUMBER 24 AND NUMBER 2, THOSE ARE BASKETBALL NUMBERS. THOSE ARE NUMBERS IN THE PAST. THOSE ARE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET BACK. WHAT WE DO HAVE IS TODAY HOW MANY NUMBERS OF KIDS LIKE DIANA HAVE BEEN INSPIRED TO DO MORE, TO WORK HARDER, TO STRIVE FOR MORE. AND THE NUMBERS WE ALSO DON'T HAVE IS HOW MANY NUMBERS OF KIDS IN THE FUTURE, HOW MANY WOMEN ARE GOING TO BE INSPIRED BY GIGI'S LIFE. HOW MANY FATHERS WHO ARE INSPIRED BY KOBE TO BE FATHERS, TO REALLY BE FATHERS THE WAY A FATHER IS SUPPOSED TO BE. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] IN THIS ROOM, THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TALENT. IN THIS ROOM IS MAYBE THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF TALENT THAT I'VE EVER BEEN AROUND, BUT IN THIS ROOM THERE'S A FAMILY AND THEY'RE STILL A TEAM BACK HOME, AND THEY STILL HAVE A GREAT COACH, AND I'M GOING TO BE ROOTING FOR THAT TEAM FROM HERE ON IN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU, COACH. NOW I WANT TO PLAY FOR UCONN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS. BEFORE THAT, HE WAS KOBE'S AGENT AND MOST NOTABLY FOR OUR PURPOSES TODAY, HE IS ONE OF KOBE'S CLOSEST AND BEST FRIENDS AND GODFATHER TO GIGI. PLEASE WELCOME ROB POLENKA. >> THE WORLD KNOWS KOBE AS A BASKETBALL LEGEND BUT I'VE BEEN BLESSED FOR 20 YEARS TO KNOW HIM AS SO MUCH MORE. THE KOBE I KNOW HAD THREE UNIQUE SIDES I HOPE TO QUICKLY HONOR TODAY, KOBE THE BEST FRIEND, KOBE THE DAD AND KOBE THE HUSBAND. I WILL START WITH KOBE THE BEST FRIEND. DO YOU REMEMBER WHERE YOU WERE ON THAT FOGGY, SUNLESS MORNING OF JANUARY 26th WHEN THE AXIS OF THE WORLD SEEMED TO SHIFT FOREVER FOR ALL OF US? I WAS IN SUNDAY CHURCH WITH MY FAMILY. MY PHONE WAS DEEP IN THE POCKET OF MY JEANS WHEN I FELT THE FAMILIAR TEXT BUZZ. FOR A SECOND, I IGNORED THE NOTIFICATION, BECAUSE I WAS IN CHURCH, BUT FOR SOME REASON WITH THIS TEXT, I FELT A SUDDEN URGE TO CHECK MY PHONE. I SLIPPED IT OUT OF THE JEANS AND DISCOVERED THE TEXT WAS FROM KOBE. THERE WAS NOTHING UNCHARACTERISTIC OR UNFAMILIAR ABOUT THIS. FOR THE LAST TWO DECADES, KOBE AND I TALKED OR TEXTED EVERY SINGLE DAY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT BEST FRIENDS DO. IN THAT MOMENT, MY INSTINCTS WERE TO PUT THE PHONE DOWN AND GET BACK TO THE PREACHER'S SERMON BUT A GENTLE, OTHER WORLDLY NUDGE COMPELLED ME TO OPEN THE TEXT SO I DID. I QUICKLY SAW THAT KOBE WAS ASKING ME IF I HAPPENED TO KNOW A CERTAIN BASEBALL AGENT BASED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. SINCE KOBE'S QUESTION DIDN'T HAVE ANY URGENCY TO IT, I DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER CHURCH TO RESPOND BUT THEN AGAIN THERE WAS A GENTLE NUDGE. I GRABBED MY PHONE AND TEXTED KOBE BACK THAT I HAD SEEN HIM AT A LAKERS GAME THE OTHER NIGHT AND WAS HAPPY TO HELP HIM WITH WHATEVER HE WANTED. IT WAS NOW PAST 9:30. KOBE TEXTED BACK, THAT HE WANTED TO HELP A FRIEND SECURE A BASEBALL INTERNSHIP FOR HIS YOUNG DAUGHTER. HE TEXTED THAT HE WOULD VOUCH FOR HER. I TEXTED KOBE RIGHT BACK AND SAID I WOULD PUT A PLAN IN MOTION TO HELP HIM GET THAT DONE. A HANDFUL OF MINUTES LATER, KOBE AND GIANNA AND SEVEN OTHER BEAUTIFUL SOULS ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. KOBE HAD BEEN TEXTING ME FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE GIRL IN THAT TEXT CHAIN THAT HE WAS WANTING TO HELP SO BADLY WAS LEXI ALTOBELLI, THE SURVIVING DAUGHTER OF COACH JOHN ALTOBELLI. KOBE'S LAST HUMAN ACT WAS HEROIC. HE WANTED TO USE HIS PLATFORM TO BLESS AND SHAPE A YOUNG GIRL'S FUTURE. HASN'T KOBE DONE THAT FOR ALL OF US? KOBE WAS LITERALLY THE BEST FRIEND ANYONE COULD ASK FOR. HE ALWAYS CHAMPIONED AND PASSIONATELY CELEBRATED THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OTHERS AND DOWNPLAYED HIS OWN. THE MAN WHO WON MULTIPLE NBA TITLES, MVPs AND OSCAR WOULD BUZZ WITH EXCITEMENT WHEN SOMEONE HE LOVED WOULD REACH EVEN A SIMPLE GOAL. WITH ANY ACHIEVEMENT, KOBE WAS ALWAYS THE FIRST TO CALL. THIS IS ONE OF HIS GREATEST GIFTS AS A FRIEND I WILL FOREVER MISS. SOMEONE WHO ALWAYS SHOWS HIS BEAUTIFUL SIDE TO KOBE, AS VANESSA SHARED, KOBE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CAR POOLS TO PICK UP HIS DAUGHTERS FROM SCHOOL. WITH KOBE IN POLE POSITION, MY GIRLS GOT TO SEE HIM OFTEN. THEY WOULD GREET HIM WITH AN ENTHUSIASM AS IF THEY HAD JUST WON STUDENT OF THE YEAR MIECHLT 9-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, EMORY, HAD TEARS IN HER EYES BECAUSE SHE WAS SO BADLY MISSING UNCLE KOBE AND GIGI. WHEN I ASKED HER WHY, SHE SAID WHENEVER KOBE WOULD SEE ME, HE WOULD RUN AND SCOOP ME UP IN HIS GIANT ARMS AND RAISE ME HIGH ABOVE HIS HEAD. KOBE ALWAYS MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS QUEEN OF THE WORLD. HE HAD A CARE FOR PEOPLE THAT WAS UNPARALLELED, MADE EVERY MOMENT MAGICAL AS IF IT WAS A WE CANOED, RODE HORSES, WENT RIVER RAFTING, RODE ON A STAGE COACH TO A CAMPFIRE DINNER UNDER THE STARS. HE MADE EVERYTHING AN ADVENTURE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE KIDS. THEY HAD TO BE DONE TO THE Nth DEGREE. IF THEY WERE FLY FISHING, WE HAD TO LEARN TO TIE OUR OWN FLIES. NO SHORT CUTS. KOBE'S ENTHUSIASM AND JOY FOR ALL THINGS IN LIFE MADE THAT TRIP ONE FOR A LIFETIME. ANOTHER REMARKABLE FRIENDSHIP QUALITY OF KOBE'S IS THAT HE MASTERED THE ART OF MAKING THE THINGS THAT HIS FRIENDS LOVED THE THINGS HE LOVED. I GOT THE LAKERS GM JOB, HE ONCE TOLD ME MY LIFE AND HIS LIFE HAD FLIP FLOPPED. I WAS NOW THE ONE WITH THE REGIMENTED LAKERS SCHEDULE OF PRACTICES, GAMES AND ROAD TRIPS. I WAS NOW THE ONE DAILY COMMUTING UP THE 405 FROM THE OC TO L.A. ON THE FLIP SIDE, KOBE WAS HOME IN NEWPORT BEACH, DOING ALL HIS WORK FROM HIS FAVORITE SPOT IN THE WORLD. HAVING LIVED THE DEMANDS OF THE NBA FOR 20 YEARS, HE UNDERSTOOD THE TOLL IT WOULD TAKE ON MY FAMILY TIME SO HE AND VANESSA WOULD REGULARLY CHECK IN WITH MY WIFE AND KIDS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS GOOD AND EVEN CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS, LIKE HALLOWEEN, WITH THEM. THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS DO. KOBE LIVED TO MAKE OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES BETTER. ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL HIS FINAL TEXT. THE DAY AFTER KOBE WAS GONE, I WAS AT HOME AND FEELING TOTALLY LOST. I COULDN'T IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT THE STRENGTH AND GUIDANCE OF MY BEST FRIEND. AS PART OF MY GRIEF I FELT AN OVERWHELMING NEED TO CONNECT WITH SOMETHING TANGIBLE, SOMETHING KOBE LEFT BEHIND. MY WIFE REMINDED ME OF THE BOOK KOBE AUTHORED AND RECENTLY HAD GIVEN TO ME. I WENT UPSTAIRS, FOUND THE BOOK IN MY LIBRARY AND OPENED IT. ON THE INSIDE COVER HE HAD PENNED WITH HIS OWN PEN THESE WORDS. TO RP, MY BROTHER, MAY YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER TO ENJOY THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S A HARD ONE. LOVE KOBE. KOBE WROTE THESE WORDS TO ME JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. NOW I REALIZE PERHAPS THEY WERE MEANT FOR US ALL. KOBE, MY BROTHER, THIS ROAD IS SO, SO HARD AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO JOURNEY ON WITHOUT YOU. BUT I KNOW YOU WANT US TO KEEP GOING AND OUR MEMORIES TO SOMEHOW MOVE FORWARD. AND AS YOU WROTE, EVEN IN THE VALLEY OF UNIMAGINABLE LOSS, WE WILL SOMEHOW FIND A WAY TO HAVE JOY. ON TO KOBE'S NEXT SIDE. KOBE THE DAD. WHEN KOBE RETIRED FROM PLAYING BASKETBALL, PEOPLE WOULD OFTEN ASK ME HOW I THOUGHT HE WOULD FUEL HIS COMPETITIVE DRIVE. THE ANSWERS CAME IN A COUPLE OF SURPRISING WAYS. THE FIRST WAS IN A NEW SPORT, TENNIS. RIGHT AFTER HE STOPPED PLAYING FOR THE LAKERS, WE TOOK UP PLAYING TENNIS AT A PRIVATE CLUB IN NEWPORT BEACH. EPIC ONE ON ONE BATTLES. I PICKED UP THE GAME FASTER THAN HIM. EARLY ON, HE WOULD OFTEN FAR BEHIND AND THAT DID NOT SIT WELL WITH KOBE AT ALL. SO WHAT DOES THE BLACK MAMBA DO? THERE HE WAS, WAITING FOR ME ALREADY WITH A FULL SWEAT THE NEXT FEW TIMES I SHOWED UP AT THE CLUB. I HAD LEARNED HE HAD SECRETLY REACHED OUT TO THE CLUB'S PRO FOR PRIVATE LESSONS AND DIDN'T SHARE ANY OF IT WITH ME. TYPICAL MAMBA MENTALITY. WE LOVED OUR MEMORIES WE WOULD SHARE ON THOSE BEAUTIFUL CALIFORNIA DAYS. DURING ONE OF THOSE TENNIS DAYS THAT HIS NEW LOVE BECAME SO CLEAR, COACHING GIANNA'S YOUTH BASKETBALL TEAM. HE TALKED ABOUT HIS DREAM TO CREATE THE BEST YOUTH GIRLS' BASKETBALL TEAM ON THE PLANET. IT STARTED WITH HIS INDIVIDUAL WORK WITH GIGI AND QUICKLY SPREAD TO ALL THE GIRLS ON TEAM MAMBA. INDIVIDUAL DRILLS, SET PLAYS, TRIANGLE CUTS, DEFENSIVE SCHEMES. IT WAS ALL KOBE'S MASTERPIECE. I WILL NEVER FORGET WHEN KOBE CHALLENGED MY 12-YEAR-OLD SON'S ALL-STAR TEAM AGAINST HIS MAMBA TEAM. YES, GIRLS VERSUS BOYS. HE HOSTED THE GAME AT A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL GYM WITH REFS, TIME KEEPERS AND ALL. HE COACHED FROM THE BENCH BUT RARELY SAID ANYTHING. THE MAMBAS WERE SO WELL PREPARED THEY FUNCTIONED LIKE A WATCH. OUR BOYS GOT SMASHED. KOEBY AND GIGI TOOK IT ALL IN STRIDE. KOBE'S LOVE FOR COACHING GREW AND GREW AND GREW. KOBE TURNED 40, TO CELEBRATE, OUR FAMILIES FLEW TO CABO TO SPEND A LONG WEEKEND AT ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OCEAN ESTATES IN THE WORLD. WHAT WAS THE ONE THING KOBE WANTED TO DO IN THIS HEAVENLY SETTING? WATCH TEAM MAMBA GAME FILM WITH GIGI AND ME, OF COURSE, BREAK DOWN EVERY PLAY. HIS LOVE AND PASSION FOR THIS TEAM WAS THE PERFECT REPRESENTATION FOR HOW DEEPLY HE LOVED HIS DAUGHTERS. AT THE CENTER OF ALL OF THIS WAS HIS PRECIOUS GIGI, WHOM MY WIFE AND I ARE BLESSED TO BE THE GODPARENTS OF. FROM THE MOMENT KRISTEN AND I DRESSED GIGI IN HER PURE WHITE LACE BAPT MICHLAL DRESS, SHE KICKED HER WAY INTO OUR WORLD LIKE ONLY A TAURUS CAN. STRENGTH, COURAGE, GRACE AND DIGNITY WITH A WITTY SENSE OF HUMOR THAT WAS SIMPLY CAPTIVATING. SHE SMILED WITH HER GLITTERING EYES AND WITH LITERALLY EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD THAT IS GOOD. IN OUR HOME, GIANNA AND HER SISTER, NATALIA HAD, BECOME THE GOLD STANDARD FOR CHARACTER AND KINDNESS. LIKE HER DAD, HER LIFE WAS ABOUT BLESSING OTHERS. SIMPLY PUT, GIGI WAS KOBE'S PRIDE AND JOY ON THE BASKETBALL COURT. YOU COULD SEE IT WITH EVERY MOVE SHE MADE. IF BASKETBALL WAS A LOVE KOBE SHARED WITH GIGI, WITH NANI, HE SHARED A LOVE OF STORY TELLING. THEY SEEMED TO LIVE OUT SCENES OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MOVIE EVER MADE. KOBE AND NANI HAD A COMMON LANGUAGE BUILT UPON JOY AND INSPIRATION. THEY COULD REMEMBER AND RECITE MOVIE LINES AND RECITE DISNEY SONGS, FILLING A ROOM WITH SMILES AND LAUGHTER. KOBE AND NANI CREATED THEIR OWN SOUND TRACK FOR LIFE, IT SEEMS. IN IT, YOU COULD OFTEN FIND THEM DANCING THEIR DAYS AWAY TOGETHER. AROUND YOUNG CHILDREN, KOBE WAS LIKE SANTA CLAUS, DRESSED IN EVERY DAY CLOTHES. KOBE HAD AN UNMASKED ENERGY TO UNITE KIDS AND MAKE THEM SMILE, LAUGH AND LOVE. HE WAS ONE OF THE MOST GRANTED MAKE A WISH IN THE WORLD. HE WOULD LOVE HIS DAUGHTER BIBI. BIBI IS A CHILD OF WONDERMENT. EVERY MOMENT SEEMS BORN OUT OF JOY, EXCITEMENT AND AWE. KOBE HAD AN ABILITY TO ENTER INTO THAT WORLD WITH HER. KOBE ALSO HAD AN ENERGY LEVEL THAT WOULD MATCH BIBI'S. WHEN THE TWO OF THEM WOULD PLAY I IMAGINED A WORLD COMING ALIVE WHERE TOY ANIMALS WOULD DANCE, TEACUPS WOULD SING AND RAINBOWS WOULD SHINE. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THE TWO OF THEM PLAYING TOGETHER. IF YOU THINK KOBE FANS WERE GOOD WITH THE BASKETBALL, YOU SHOULD SEE HOW HIS HANDS WERE WITH HIS DAUGHTER, COCO. HE LITERALLY HAD THE GOLDEN TOUCH, WATCHING HIM PUT COCO TO SLEEP AND CARESS HER MADE YOU REALIZE HOW TENDER HE REALLY WAS. IN HIS ARMS IS WHERE YOU WOULD FIND COCO CONTENT WITH PEACE. WHEN HE TRAVELLED WITH WITH ME FOR WORK, HE WOULD SPEND HOURS ON THE PHONE, CONNECTING AND LISTENING TO THE STORIES OF THEIR DAYS. HE JUST LOVED HIS GIRLS AND THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE WORLD THAT MEANT MORE TO HIM. I REMEMBER BEING IN THE TUNNEL WITH KOBE RIGHT OVER THERE, THE LAST TIME HE WAS WEARING HIS PURPLE AND GOLD. HE FIST BUMPED EACH OF HIS DAUGHTERS BEFORE HE RAN OUT OF THE TUNNEL AND IN MAMBA SPEAK SAID SOMETHING LIKE HERE IS WHAT YOU DO WHEN THE WORLD TELLS YOU YOU CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE. HIS 60 POINTS AND WIN THAT NIGHT IS ONLY OUTSHINED BY HIS LOVE FOR HIS FAMILY AS THE WORLD'S GREATEST GIRL DAD. KOBE'S FINAL SIDE, THE HUSBAND. WHEN GOD MADE KOBE THE NEXT GREAT ACT OF HIS WAS TO FASHION VANESSA. I KNOW THIS, BECAUSE THEY ARE MATCHED PERFECTLY TOGETHER AND I'VE HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT TO BEING WITNESS TO THEIR LOVE FOR 20 YEARS. I REMEMBER ALL THE WAY BACK TO THEIR WEDDING DAY IN 2001. IN TYPICAL KOBE FASHION, HE WANTED TO MASTER EVERY DETAIL OF THAT DAY, TO REFLECT HIS LOVE FOR VANESSA. ONE OF THE THINGS HE WAS MOST EXCITED ABOUT WAS CARRYING VANESSA IN HIS ARMS OVER THE THRESHOLD OF THEIR HOME, AS A HUSBAND AND WIFE FOR THE FIRST TIME. VANESSA BROUGHT OUT COULD BEY'S ROMANTIC SIDE LIKE NOBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD COULD. HE LOVED TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS WITH HER, HER BIRTHDAY, ANNIVERSARY AND ESPECIALLY VALENTINE'S DAY. OFTEN HE WOULD CALL ME TO BRAIN STORM HIS INCREDIBLE IDEAS FOR SPECIAL GIFTS AND ROMANTIC OCCASIONS WITH HER. HE EVEN LOVED TO WRITE POEMS, LETTERS TO HER AND MAKE THEM INTO BEAUTIFUL KEEPSAKE BOOKS. SIMPLY PUT, KOBE'S LOVE FOR VANESSA WAS THE ENERGY FOR HIS LIFE. ONE PARTICULAR STORY CAPTURES THE DEPTH OF KOBE'S LOVE FOR VANESSA. THERE WAS A STRETCH OF DAYS WHEN WORK TRAVEL WAS CAUSING KOBE TO BE AWAY FROM VANESSA FOR LONGER THAN HE WANTED. HE CALLED ME TO EXPLAIN HOW HARD THIS STRETCH WAS FOR HIM. ONE NIGHT ON THE PHONE, KOBE NOTICED THERE WAS A GRAND PIANO IN THE HOTEL SUITE HE WAS STAYING IN. HE SAID IT SAT UNDER A TALL WINDOW BY A MOONLIT SKY. HE SHARED AN IDEA WITH ME DURING ONE OF OUR CALLS. HE SAID HE HADN'T BEEN SLEEPING MUCH AT NIGHT BECAUSE HE WAS MISSING V AND THE GIRLS SO MUCH. WHILE HE WAS AWAY, HE WANTED TO LIVE IN HIS LOVE FOR VANESSA, SO AT NIGHT UNDER THE MOONLIT SKY, HE VOWED TO TEACH HIMSELF BY EAR TO PLAY THE FIRST MOVEMENT OF BEETHOVEN'S MOONLIT SONATA. WHEN HE TOLD ME THIS, I THOUGHT THERE'S NO WAY. I KNEW HE WASN'T A TRAINED MUSICIAN, AND THAT WAS A REALLY DIFFICULT PIECE OF MUSIC TO PLAY. BUT KOBE'S PASSION AND LOVE FOR VANESSA, COMBINED WITH THE PATIENCE AND FOCUS THAT ONLY THE PLAQUE MAMBA HAS MADE THIS SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE GOAL A REALITY. THAT NEXT MORNING, KOBE CALLED AND PLAYED ME THE FIRST FEW MEASURES. THE NEXT MORNING, MORE. BY THE END OF THE WEEK, HE HAD THE ENTIRE PIECE MASTERED AND HE PLAYED IT FOR ME OVER THE PHONE WITHOUT A MISTAKE. IN MY HEART, I KNEW THAT MOMENT WAS ONE OF KOBE'S GRANDEST FEATS FOR HIS DEEPEST LOVE. HE HAD MASTERED ONE OF THE GREATEST PIANO MOVEMENTS EVER WRITTEN FOR ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LOVES THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. TO CLOSE, I WILL SAY THIS. JUST AS THE SUNLIGHTS THE MOON TO GUIDE US THROUGH THE NIGHT, KOBE AND GIGI WILL CONTINUE TO SHINE LIGHT IN ALL OF US. UNLIKE THE SUN, KOBE AND GIGI'S FUEL WILL NEVER BURN OUT BECAUSE THEIR LIGHT IS ETERNAL. YES, THE AXIS OF OUR WORLD SHIFTED THAT FRIGHTFUL MORNING A FEW WEEKS BACK, BUT WITH KOBE AND GIGI'S MOONLIGHT, WE WILL NEVER HAVE TO LIVE IN THE DARKNESS OF NIGHT AGAIN. WE WILL ALL JOURNEY ON UNTIL ONE DAY WE WILL BE IN HEAVEN TOGETHER AGAIN, AND THIS TIME IT WILL BE FOREVER. I LOVE YOU, DEAR KOBE, AND PRECIOUS GIGI. WE LOVE YOU, VANESSA, NANI, BIBI, COCO. AND WE ARE HERE FOR YOU WITH GREAT CARE UNTIL THE END OF OUR DAYS. [ APPLAUSE ] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IN A MOMENT, HERE TO PLAY TRIBUTE WITH HER OWN VERSION, ALICIA KEYS. [ APPLAUSE ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >>> IT WAS GRAMMY SUNDAY WHEN WE LEARNED ABOUT THE TRAGIC LOSS OF KOBE, GIANNA, AND THE WHOLE GROUP. THE SAD NEWS SETTLED IN, IT BECAME CLEAR AS THE WORLD BEGAN TO MOURN THEM, HERE AT THE HOUSE THAT KOBE BUILT, WE HAD TO DO MORE THAN THAT THANKS TO THE INNER STRENGTH OF ALICIA KEYS, SHE BECAME A COMFORT. HERE TO PERFORM ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE NUMBERS, "THE IMMORTAL" BY BEETHOVEN'S MOONLIT SONATA. PLEASE WELCOME ALICIA KEYS. ♪♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] ♪♪ >> FROM LOWER MERION HIGH SCHOOL IN PENNSYLVANIA. >> THIS KID RIGHT HERE, MARK MY WORDS, IS GOING TO BE UNBELIEVABLE. >> 4:00 IN THE MORNING. >> HOW GOOD IS THIS KID? >> BACK-TO-BACK TITLES FOR THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS. A THREE-PEAT AND A SWEEP. >> FOURTH NBA CHAMPIONSHIP. >> THE L.A. LAKERS IN 2010 CROWNED NBA CHAMPION. GUY AND THIS GUY. >> AN 81-POINT GAME. >> OLYMPIC CHAMPION, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. >> HE FALLS DOWN AND HE IS HURTING, BUT THE LAKERS NEED HIM AT THE FREE THROW LINE. HE'S GOT IT. >> A 60-POINT GAME. NUMBER 24. >> PURE BASKETBALL. >> HE DIDN'T JUST SHOW UP AT GAMES. HE WAS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THEM. >> COACHING YOUNG KIDS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO. >> YOU COULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN THIS. [ CROWD CHANTING ] [ APPLAUSE ] >> I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT KOBE RIGHT NOW IS LOOKING DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND GOING, "I AM DETERMINED TO LEARN TO PLAY MOONLIGHT SONATA BETTER THAN ALICIA KEYS". IN 1996, OUR NEXT SPEAKER FACED AN 18-YEAR-OLD KOBE BRYANT FOR THE FIRST TIME, MIDWAY THROUGH THE GAME WHILE PLAYING, KOBE ASKED HIM FOR TIPS ON HIS JUMP SHOT. KOBE SCORED 33 POINTS THAT GAME AGAINST HIS BOYHOOD IDOL. PLEASE WELCOME MICHAEL JORDAN. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >>> I WOULD SAY GOOD MORNING, BUT IT'S AFTERNOON. I'M GRATEFUL TO VANESSA AND THE BRYANT FAMILY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. I'M GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TO HONOR GIGI AND CELEBRATE THE GIFT THAT KOBE GAVE US ALL. WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED AS A BASKETBALL PLAYER, AS A BUSINESSMAN AND A STORY-TELLER, AND AS A FATHER. IN THE GAME OF BASKETBALL, IN LIFE, AS A PARENT, KOBE LEFT NOTHING IN THE TANK. HE LEFT IT ALL ON THE FLOOR. [ APPLAUSE ] >>> MAYBE IT SURPRISES PEOPLE THAT KOBE AND I WERE VERY CLOSE FRIENDS, BUT WE WERE VERY CLOSE FRIENDS. KOBE WAS MY DEAR FRIEND. HE WAS LIKE A LITTLE BROTHER. EVERYONE ALWAYS WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE COMPARISONS BETWEEN HE AND I. I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT KOBE. YOU KNOW, ALL OF US HAVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, LITTLE BROTHERS, LITTLE SISTERS, WHO, FOR WHATEVER REASON, ALWAYS TEND TO GET IN YOUR STUFF, YOUR CLOSET, YOUR SHOES, EVERYTHING. IT WAS A NUISANCE, IF I CAN SAY THAT WORD. BUT THAT NUISANCE TURNED INTO LOVE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. JUST BECAUSE THE ADMIRATION THAT THEY HAD FOR YOU AS BIG BROTHERS OR BIG SISTERS. THE QUESTIONS, THEY'RE WANTING TO KNOW EVERY LITTLE DETAIL ABOUT LIFE THAT THEY WERE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON. HE USED TO CALL ME, TEXT ME, 11:30, 2:30, 3:00 IN THE MORNING, TALKING ABOUT POST-UP MOVES, FOOTWORK, AND SOMETIMES THE TRIANGLE. [ LAUGHTER ] >> AT FIRST, IT WAS AN AGGRAVATION. BUT THEN IT TURNED INTO A CERTAIN PASSION. THIS KID HAD PASSION LIKE YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW. AND IT'S AN AMAZING THING, PASSION. IF YOU LOVE SOMETHING, IF YOU HAVE A STRONG PASSION FOR SOMETHING, YOU WOULD GO TO THE EXTREME TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND OR TRY TO GET IT, EITHER ICE CREAM, COKES, HAMBURGERS, WHATEVER YOU HAVE A LOVE FOR. YOU WOULD GO GET IT. IF YOU HAD TO BEG SOMEONE, YOU WOULD GO GET IT. WHAT KOBE BRYANT WAS TO ME, WAS THE INSPIRATION THAT SOMEONE TRULY CARED ABOUT THE WAY EITHER I PLAYED THE GAME OR THE WAY THAT HE WANTED TO PLAY THE GAME. HE WANTED TO BE THE BEST BASKETBALL PLAYER THAT HE COULD BE. AND AS I GOT TO KNOW HIM, I WANTED TO BE THE BEST BIG BROTHER THAT I COULD BE. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THE AGGRAVATION, THE LATE-NIGHT CALLS OR THE DUMB QUESTIONS. [ LAUGHTER ] >> I TOOK GREAT PRIDE AS I GOT TO KNOW KOBE BRYANT THAT HE WAS JUST TRYING TO BE A BETTER PERSON, A BETTER BASKETBALL PLAYER. WE TALKED ABOUT BUSINESS, WE TALKED ABOUT FAMILY, WE TALKED ABOUT EVERYTHING. AND HE WAS JUST TRYING TO BE A BETTER PERSON. NOW HE'S GOT ME, I'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT ANOTHER CRYING MEME FOR THE NEXT -- [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> I TOLD MY WIFE I WASN'T GOING TO DO THIS BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THAT FOR THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS. THAT'S WHAT KOBE BRYANT DOES TO ME. I'M PRETTY SURE VANESSA AND HIS FRIENDS ALL CAN SAY THE SAME THING, HE KNOWS HOW TO GET TO YOU IN A WAY THAT AFFECTS YOU PERSONALLY, EVEN THOUGH HE'S JUST BEING A PAIN IN THE ASS. BUT HE ALWAYS HAS A SENSE OF LOVE IN HIM IN THE WAY THAT HE CAN BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOU, AND HE DID THAT FOR ME. I REMEMBER MAYBE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, HE SENDS ME A TEXT AND HE SAYS "I'M TRYING TO TEACH MY DAUGHTER SOME MOVES". AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING OR WHAT I WAS WORKING ON, BUT WHAT WERE YOU THINKING ABOUT AS YOU WERE GROWING UP WHEN YOU WERE TRYING TO WORK ON YOUR MOVES? I SAID WHAT AGE? HE SAYS 12. [ LAUGHTER ] I SAID 12, I WAS TRYING TO PLAY BASEBALL. [ LAUGHTER ] >> HE SENDS ME A TEXT BACK, LAUGHING MY ASS OFF, AND THIS IS AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING. BUT THE THING ABOUT HIM, WAS WE COULD TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT RELATED TO BASKETBALL, BUT WE COULD TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT RELATED TO LIFE. AND AS WE GREW UP IN LIFE, WE RARELY HAVE FRIENDS THAT WE CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS LIKE THAT. WELL, IT'S EVEN RARER WHEN YOU CAN GROW UP AGAINST ADVERSARIES AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS LIKE THAT. I WENT AND SAW PHIL JACKSON IN 1999 OR MAYBE 2000. I DON'T KNOW WHEN PHIL WAS HERE IN L.A. AND I WALK IN AND KOBE WAS SITTING THERE, AND THE FIRST THING KOBE SAID, DID YOU BRING YOUR SHOES? [ LAUGHTER ] >> NO, I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT PLAYING. BUT HIS ATTITUDE TO COMPETE AND PLAY AGAINST SOMEONE HE FELT LIKE HE COULD ENHANCE AND IMPROVE HIS GAME WITH. TO ME, THAT'S WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THE KID. ABSOLUTELY LOVED ABOUT THE KID. NO MATTER WHERE HE SAW ME, IT WAS A CHALLENGE. AND I ADMIRED HIM BECAUSE HIS PASSION, YOU RARELY SEE SOMEONE WHO IS LOOKING AND TRYING TO IMPROVE EACH AND EVERY DAY, NOT JUST IN SPORTS, BUT AS A PARENT, AS A HUSBAND. I AM INSPIRED BY WHAT HE'S DONE AND WHAT HE SHARED WITH VANESSA AND WHAT HE SHARED WITH HIS KIDS. I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO IS 30 WHO I JUST BECAME A GRANDPARENT. AND I HAVE TWO TWINS, I HAVE TWINS AT 6. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> I CAN'T WAIT TO GET HOME TO BECOME A GIRL DAD AND TO HUG THEM AND TO SEE THE LOVE AND THE SMILES THAT THEY BRING TO US AS PARENTS. HE TAUGHT ME THAT, JUST BY LOOKING AT THIS TONIGHT, LOOKING AT HOW HE RESPONDED AND REACTED WITH THE PEOPLE THAT HE ACTUALLY LOVED. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO LEARN FROM KOBE BRYANT. TO VANESSA, NATALIA, BIANKA, CAPRI, MY WIFE AND I WILL KEEP YOU CLOSE IN OUR HEARTS AND OUR PRAYERS. WE WILL ALWAYS BE HERE FOR YOU, ALWAYS. I ALSO WANT TO OFFER OUR CONDOLENCES AND SUPPORT TO ALL THE FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THIS ENORMOUS TRAGEDY. KOBE GAVE EVERY LAST OUNCE OF HIMSELF TO WHATEVER HE WAS DOING. AFTER BASKETBALL, HE SHOWED A CREATIVE SIDE TO HIMSELF THAT I DIDN'T THINK ANY OF US KNEW HE HAD. IN RETIREMENT, HE SEEMED SO HAPPY. HE FOUND NEW PASSIONS AND HE CONTINUED TO GIVE BACK AS A COACH, IN HIS COMMUNITY. MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE WAS AN AMAZING DAD, AMAZING HUSBAND, WHO DEDICATED HIMSELF TO HIS FAMILY AND WHO LOVED HIS DAUGHTERS WITH ALL HIS HEART. KOBE NEVER LEFT ANYTHING ON THE COURT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE WOULD WANT FOR US TO DO. NO ONE KNOWS HOW MUCH TIME WE HAVE. THAT'S WHY WE MUST LIVE IN THE MOMENT, WE MUST ENJOY THE MOMENT, WE MUST REACH AND SEE AND SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS WE CAN WITH OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE. TO LIVE IN THE MOMENT MEANS TO ENJOY EACH AND EVERY ONE THAT WE COME IN CONTACT WITH. WHEN KOBE BRYANT DIED, A PIECE OF ME DIED. AND AS I LOOK IN THIS ARENA AND ACROSS THE GLOBE, A PIECE OF YOU DIED, OR ELSE YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE. THOSE ARE THE MEMORIES THAT WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH AND WE LEARN FROM. I PROMISE YOU, FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, I WILL LIVE WITH THE MEMORIES OF KNOWING THAT I HAD A LITTLE BROTHER, THAT I TRIED TO HELP IN EVERY WAY I COULD. PLEASE REST IN PEACE, LITTLE BROTHER. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THERE HAVE BEEN MANY GREAT THINGS IN THE HISTORY OF THE NBA, BUT NONE OR MORE FUN TO FOLLOW THAN KOBE AND SHAQ. THEY WON THREE TITLES IN A ROW TOGETHER AS TEAMMATES IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. AND THEIR NAMES WILL BE LINKED FOR ALL TIME. PLEASE WELCOME SHAQUILLE O'NEAL. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> WHENEVER I IMAGINED SPEAKING TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE ABOUT KOBE BRYANT, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AT HIS HALL OF FAME INDUCTION OR AT ONE OF HIS FOUNDATION EVENTS. BUT NEVER, EVER, COULD I HAVE IMAGINED THAT I WOULD BE HERE FOR HIS MEMORIAL. >> WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE MEMORIAL FOR KOBE BRYANT HERE IN LOS ANGELES. THERE SEEMS TO BE A SMALL TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY WITH THE FEED COMING IN. WE WERE WITNESSING AN INCREDIBLE MOMENT. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE FEED HAS COME BACK. SHAQUILLE O'NEAL NOW SPEAKING. >> I AM PROUD THAT NO OTHER TEAM HAS ACCOMPLISHED WHAT THE THREE-PEAT LAKERS DID SINCE KOBE AND THE LAKERS DID IT. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> AND SOMETIMES, LIKE IMMATURED KIDS, WE ARGUED, WE FOUGHT, BUT MADE NO MISTAKE, EVEN WHEN FOLKS THOUGHT WE WERE ON BAD TERMS, WHEN THE CAMERAS WERE TURNED OFF HE AND I WOULD WINK AT EACH OTHER AND SAY LET'S GO WHOOP SOME ASS. HE NEVER TOOK IT SERIOUSLY. IN TRUTH, KOBE AND I ALWAYS MAINTAINED A DEEP RESPECT AND LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER. THE DAY KOBE GAINED BY RESPECT WAS THE GUYS WERE COMPLAINING, SAID SHAQ, KOBE IS NOT PASSING THE BALL. I SAID I'LL TALK TO HIM. I SAID, KOBE, THERE'S NO I IN TEAM, AND KOBE SAID, I KNOW, BUT -- [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> SO I WENT BACK AND TOLD RIC, I SAID JUST GET THE REBOUND, HE'S NOT PASSING. [ LAUGHTER ] >> MAMBA, YOU WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM US WAY TOO SOON. YOUR NEXT CHAPTER OF LIFE WAS JUST BEGINNING, BUT NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO CONTINUE A LEGACY. YOU SAID YOURSELF THAT EVERYTHING NEGATIVE, PRESSURE, CHALLENGES, IS ALL AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO RISE. SO WE NOW TAKE THAT ADVICE AND RISE FROM ANGUISH AND BEGIN WITH THE HEALING. JUST KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK, LITTLE BROTHER. I'LL LOOK AFTER THINGS DOWN HERE. I'LL BE SURE TO TEACH NATALIA, BIANKA AND BABY CAPRI YOUR MOVES AND I PROMISE NOT TO TEACH THEM MY FREE THROW TECHNIQUES. BUT FOR NOW I TAKE COMFORT IN THE FACT AS WE SPEAK KOBE AND GIGI ARE HOLDING HANDS, WALKING TO THE NEXT BASKETBALL COURT. KOBE WILL SHOW HER SOME MOVES. YOU'RE HEAVEN'S MVP. I LOVE YOU, MY MAN. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN. REST IN PEACE. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ CROWD CHANTING ] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TONIGHT. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ABOUT MY JERSEYS THAT ARE HANGING UP THERE FOR ME. IT'S ABOUT THE JERSEYS THAT WERE HANGING UP THERE BEFORE. AND WITHOUT THEM, I COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. THEY INSPIRED ME TO PLAY THE GAME AT A HIGH LEVEL. AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION, EMBODYING THE SPIRIT THAT EXISTS IN THOSE JERSEYS UP THERE AND CARRYING THIS ORGANIZATION FORWARD SO THAT THE NEXT 20 YEARS ARE BETTER THAN THE PAST 20 YEARS. AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT. AND THEN IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE FANS. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> AND IT'S ABOUT FAMILY, IT'S ABOUT MY WIFE VANESSA. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT THE LAST GAME -- MY LAST GAME THAT WE HAD HERE AGAINST UTAH JAZZ, I WAS REALLY TIRED. I GOT HOME AND I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO THIS THING. I'VE GOT ONE MORE GAME LEFT, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY LEGS. AND SHE SAID I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING, I'VE GOT A GIFT FOR YOU FOR YOUR LAST GAME. AND SHE PROCEEDED TO SHOW ME A ROW OF RETIRED JERSEYS FROM BAYLOR, FROM MAGIC, FROM SHAQ, ALL WITH PERSONAL MESSAGES SIGNED TO ME, INCLUDING FROM MICHAEL JORDAN, INCLUDING FROM THE GREAT BILL RUSSELL, INCLUDING FROM THE GREAT LARRY BIRD. AND WHEN I SAW THAT, I KNEW THAT I HAD TO TURN IT UP. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] I HAD TO TURN IT UP. SO THANK YOU, BABY, FOR BEING AN INSPIRATION TO ME. AND LASTLY, OUR DAUGHTERS, NATALIA, GIGI AND BIANKA, I HOPE THAT TONIGHT IS NOT -- YOU GUYS KNOW THAT IF YOU DO THE WORK, YOU WORK HARD ENOUGH, DREAMS COME TRUE. THANK YOU GUYS, SO MUCH. I LOVE YOU. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> MAMBA OUT. [ CROWD CHANTING ] >>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME SIX-TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER, CHRISTINA AGUILERA. ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ APPLAUSE ] >>> CHRISTINA AGUILERA. THANK YOU, CHRISTINA, THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL. [ APPLAUSE ] >> AND IN ITALIAN AS WELL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. KOBE, AS YOU KNOW -- [ APPLAUSE ] >> -- HAD BIG PLANS AFTER BASKETBALL, HE HAD MANY INTERESTS. ONE OF THEM WAS FILM. ONE OF THEM WAS THE MAMBA AND MAMBACITA FOUNDATION. HE PUBLISHED BOOKS. BUT HE WANTED TO MAKE MOVIES. AND OF COURSE, BECAUSE HE IS KOBE BRYANT, THE FIRST MOVIE HE MADE WON AN OSCAR. AND THIS IS KOBE'S ACADEMY AWARD WINNING FILM CALLED "DEAR BASKETBALL". [ APPLAUSE ] >> A ONE-POINT GAME. BRYANT FOR THE WIN! [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> DEAR BASKETBALL, FROM THE MOMENT I STARTED ROLLING MY DAD'S TUBE SOCKS AND SHOOTING IMAGINARY GAME-WINNING SHOTS, I KNEW ONE THING WAS REAL, I FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU. A LOVE SO DEEP, I GAVE YOU MY ALL, FROM MY MIND AND BODY, TO MY SPIRIT AND SOUL. AS A 6-YEAR-OLD BOY, DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH YOU, I NEVER SAW THE END OF THE TUNNEL. I ONLY SAW MYSELF RUNNING OUT OF ONE. AND SO I RAN. I RAN UP AND DOWN EVERY COURT HUNTING DOWN EVERY LOOSE BALL FOR YOU. YOU ASKED FOR MY HUSTLE, I GAVE YOU MY HEART. I BECAME SO MUCH MORE. I PLAYED THROUGH THE SWEAT AND THE HURT. NOT BECAUSE CHALLENGE CALLED ME, BUT BECAUSE YOU CALLED ME. I DID EVERYTHING FOR YOU. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO WHEN SOMEONE MAKES YOU FEEL AS ALIVE AS YOU'VE MADE ME FEEL. YOU GAVE A 6-YEAR-OLD BOY HIS LAKERS DREAM, AND I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU FOR IT. I CAN'T LOVE YOU MUCH LONGER, THIS SEASON IS ALL I HAVE LEFT TO GIVE. MY HEART CAN'T TAKE THE POUNDING. MY MIND CAN HANDLE THE GRIND, BUT MY BODY KNOWS IT'S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE. AND THAT'S OKAY. I'M READY TO LET YOU GO. I WANT YOU TO KNOW NOW, SO WE BOTH CAN SAVOR EVERY MOMENT WE HAVE LEFT TOGETHER, THE GOOD AND THE BAD, THAT WE'VE GIVEN ALL THAT WE HAVE AND WE BOTH KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT I DO NEXT, I'LL ALWAYS BE THAT KID WITH THE ROLLED-UP SOCKS, GARBAGE CAN IN THE CORNER, FIVE SECONDS ON THE CLOCK, BALL IN MY HANDS. FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE. ♪♪ ♪♪ >> I LOVE YOU ALWAYS, KOBE. ♪♪ ♪♪ >> HIS NAME ECHOING THROUGH THE STAPLES CENTER ONE MORE TIME. AN INCREDIBLE CEREMONY HONORING AN INCREDIBLE LIFE. AT TIMES THERE WERE MOMENTS YOU COULDN'T HELP BUT CRY AND OTHER TIMES THERE WERE MOMENTS YOU COULDN'T HELP BUT LAUGH. THE MAMBA MENTALITY, WHAT KOBE CALLED HIS INNER SPIRIT WHEN HE WOULD TURN IT ON IN THE MIDDLE OF A BASKETBALL GAME, WE SAW WITH HIS WIFE. TAKING TO THE STAGE, HONORING HER DAUGHTER AND HER HUSBAND. THE COURAGE IT TOOK TO SPEAK. HERE IS ONE MOMENT FROM HER EULOGY THAT WAS SO POWERFUL. >> GOD KNEW THEY COULDN'T BE ON THIS EARTH WITHOUT EACH OTHER. HE HAD TO BRING THEM TOMORROW TO HAVE THEM TOGETHER. BABE, YOU TAKE CARE OF OUR GIGI. I GOT THE OTHERS. WE'RE STILL THE BEST TEAM. WE LOVE AND MISS YOU BOO BOO AND GIGI. MAY YOU BOTH REST IN PEACE AND HAVE FUN IN HEAVEN UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN ONE DAY. WE LOVE YOU BOTH AND MISS YOU. FOREVER AND ALWAYS. MOMMY. [ APPLAUSE ] >> VANESSA BRYANT SAYING GOOD-BYE TO HER DAUGHTER AND HER HUSBAND. CALLING HIM AN MVD, MOST VALUABLE DAD. WE WERE WATCHING THIS TOGETHER LIVE. AS PARENTS, AS PEOPLE WHO WATCHED KOBE PLAY, IT WAS JUST SO AMAZING TO SEE THE COURAGE IT TOOK FOR HER TO GO UP THERE AND HER WORDS WERE SO POWERFUL. >> I AGREE. REMEMBER, WE DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE WAS GOING TO EVEN BE THERE. SO FOR HER TO STAND UP AND FOR HER TO TALK AND FOR HER TO SHARE SOME OF THE POIGNANT MEMORIES -- FOR ME, AT LEAST NOW, I ENVISION GIGI DOING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MADE HER HAPPY. SHE TOLD THE STORY ABOUT GIGI PASSING HER ON THE TRACK. I THOUGHT THE WAY SHE DELIVERED WITH SUCH STRENGTH IN A PACKED STAPLES CENTER. IT HAD TO MAKE EVERYBODY'S HEART FEEL A LITTLE BIT AT EASE WHILE IT BREAKS FOR HER AT THE SAME TIME. YOU KNOW SHE'S GOING HOME TO TAKE CARE OF HER TEAM. THAT WAS REALLY HARD. >> I THINK SHE WAS SO HONEST. SHE CALLED HER AND KOBE'S RELATIONSHIP PERFECTLY IMPERFECT PEOPLE. IT WAS REALLY SOMETHING PROBABLY ANYBODY CAN RELATE TO. SHE WAS SO DOWN TO EARTH ABOUT HOW KOBE TREATED HER, HOW HE WAS AS A HUSBAND TO HER ON VALENTINE'S DAY, ON ANNIVERSARIES, TALKING ABOUT HIM AS A FATHER AND ABOUT HER DAUGHTER AND THOSE SPECIAL MOMENTS. AGAIN, WE CAN'T SAY IT ENOUGH. IT WAS TRULY INCREDIBLE TO SEE HER TAKE THAT STAGE. COMMAND THE STAPLES CENTER AND SHOW THE RESPECT THAT KOBE AND HIS DAUGHTER DESERVED. >> I AGREE. WHEN YOU SAY IT WAS SORT OF LIKE THEY WERE A NORMAL COUPLE. THEY TRIED TO PAINT THAT PICTURE, WHICH THEY ARE. THEY ALSO WEREN'T. THEY WERE ALSO CELEBRITIES. BELOVED BY EVERYONE IN LOS ANGELES. HOW HE BROUGHT HER HOPE THE PROPS, THE BLUE DRESS, THAT WAS THE KIND OF MAN HE WAS, HE HAD A SOFT SPOT, I THINK, THAT MAYBE A LOT OF US DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT UNTIL TODAY. EVEN THOUGH YOU SEE THAT IN HIS INTERACTIONS WITH HIS DAUGHTERS, YOU HEAR VANESSA TALK ABOUT IT, YOU GET A GLIMPSE INTO WHAT THEIR LIFE WAS LIKE AND THEIR MARRIAGE WAS LIKE. >> IT WAS INCREDIBLE. THERE WERE MOMENTS THAT WE COULDN'T STOP LAUGHING. SHAQ AND MICHAEL JORDAN. MAYBE THE GREATEST TO PLAY THE GAME. KOBE PICKED UP FOR HIM RIGHT AFTER MICHAEL FINISHED HIS CAREER. HE HAD SOME WORDS, BOTH FUNNY AND TOUCHING FOR KOBE BRYANT. >> I HAVE TO LOOK FOR THE NEXT ONE. WHEN KOBE BRYANT DIED, A PIECE OF ME DIED. AS I LOOK IN THIS ARENA AND ACROSS THE GLOBE, A PIECE OF YOU DIED. OR ELSE YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE. THOSE ARE THE MEMORIES WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH AND WE LEARN FROM. I PROMISE YOU FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, I WILL LIVE WITH THE MEMORIES OF KNOWING THAT I HAD A LITTLE BROTHER THAT I TRIED TO HELP IN EVERY WAY I COULD. PLEASE REST IN PEACE, LITTLE BROTHER. >> REST IN PEACE AND TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO DIED IN THAT HORRIFIC HILLARY COPTER CRASH. JUST BEHIND ME YOU CAN SEE THE CROWD. YOU CAN HEAR THEM CHEERING FOR KOBE BRYANT. NEARLY EVERYONE IN SOME TYPE OF KOBE JERSEY, WEARING THE NUMBER 8, WEARING 24. THIS WAS A CELEBRATION OF HIS LIFE. THIS REALLY WAS A CELEBRATION THAT WE WITNESSED OVER THE LAST TWO HOURS. SO MANY FANS OUT HERE. SO HAPPY. ALL THE PROCEEDS GOING TO THE MAMBA AND MAMBACITA FOUND INDICATION. OUR COURAGE OF A CELEBRATION OF LIFE, REMEMBERING KOBE AND GIANNA BRYANT. WE LEAVE YOU NOW WITH A FEW MOMENTS FROM TODAY'S INCREDIBLY MOVING CEREMONY. ♪♪ >> THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR KOBE AND GIANNA BRYANT AND THEIR FRIENDS, JOHN, KERI AND ALYSSA ALTOBELLI, SARAH AND PAYTON CHESTER. CHRISTINA MAUSER AND ARA ZOBAYAN. >> BYE BABY GIRL. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, SILLY, THOUGHTFUL LOVING DAUGHTER AND SISTER. SHE WAS SO FULL OF LIFE AND HAS SO MUCH MORE TO OFFER THIS WORLD. >> IN THE END, SHE WAS A SUN JUST STARTING TO RISE AND, GOD, DID SHE GLOW. >> GIGI WOULD HAVE BECOME THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WNBA. SHE WOULD HAVE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. I MISS YOU, ALL OF YOU, EVERY DAY. I LOVE YOU. FOR MY SOUL MATE, I WAS HIS VB, HIS QUEEN MAMA, MAMBA, AND HE ALWAYS TOLD THE GIRLS HOW BEAUTIFUL AND SMART THEY ARE. HE TAUGHT THEM HOW TO BE BRAVE AND HOW TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH. >> WITH KOBE AND GIGI'S MOON LIGHT LIGHT HE WOULD WILL JOURNEY ON UNTIL WE WILL BE IN HEAVEN AND THIS TIME IT WILL BE FOREVER. I LOVE YOU, DEAR KOBE AND PRECIOUS GIGI. >> GOD KNEW THEY COULDN'T BE ON THIS EARTH WITHOUT EACH OTHER. HE HAD TO BRING THEM HOME TO HAVE THEM TOGETHER. BABE, YOU TAKE CARE OF OUR GIGI. I GOT THE OTHERS. WE'RE STILL THE BEST TEAM. WE LOVE AND MISS YOU BOO BOO AND GIGI. MAY YOU BOTH REST IN PEACE AND HAVE FUN IN HEAVEN UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN ONE DAY. LOVE YOU BOTH AND MISS YOU. FOREVER AND ALWAYS. MOMMY. >> ALWAYS IN MY HEART. I SINCERELY APPRECIATE IT. NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOU GUYS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. I LOVE YOU GUYS. I LOVE YOU GUYS. >> WHAT CAN I SAY? MAMBA OUT. . >> GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR KOBE AND GIANNA BRYANT AND THEIR FRIENDS, JOHN, KERI, AND ALYSSA ALTOBELLI, SARAH AND PAYTON CHESTER. CHRISTINA MAUSER AND ARA ZOBAYAN. ON BEHALF OF
