Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant after news of the Los Angeles Lakers legend's death after a helicopter crash soon flooded the news cycle on Sunday.
LaVine admitted to being saddened by the events, noting he was a fan of Bryant's and wore jersey No. 8 due to the number Bryant wore for the first half of his career.
“It’s just a terrible situation,” said LaVine, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I idolized Kobe. He’s one of the reasons I wear No. 8.”
“He inspired a whole generation. We all wanted to be like Kobe.”
LaVine, who has patterned his game with the same iso-heavy mid-range style that Bryant was known for during his 20 years in the league, recalled a quick anecdote during a game in the Staples Center, home of the Lakers.
“I once had big game at Staples Center,” LaVine recalled. “He tapped me on butt and said: ‘Keep going.’”
Bryant became less of a ruthless assassin and more of an ambassador of the game after suffering an Achilles injury that threatened to end his career.
Over the years, he's supported many young players like Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, LaVine, and many others — hoping to keep the “Mamba Mentality” alive even after his retirement in 2016.
Bryant had perhaps the most memorable farewell game, dropping 60 points in a win over the Utah Jazz in the last game of a 17-win Lakers season, going out a winner after putting up a whopping 50 shots before waving goodbye one last time.
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