Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker was among the Staples Center crowd when Kobe Bryant's life was celebrated last week. He was there when Vanessa Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O'Neal gave touching speeches that celebrated his and Gianna Bryant's lives.
Now that more than a couple of days have passed since the memorial, Kemba had time to think about the events and the impact it had on the entire basketball landscape. He told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that the memorial served to remind him how much of a tight-knit brotherhood the NBA is.
“It was unbelievable. You just see the love everyone had for him, all different industries, sports, fans from around the world came and supported. It was tough to be there but at the same time you wanted to pay your respect.”
The Celtics guard managed to play against Bryant multiple times during his time with the Charlotte Hornets. Until the final years of his career, Bryant always took down the Hornets in convincing fashion. He served as an inspiration for Kemba's generation, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration for him to say that Kobe was his version of Jordan.
Walker wasn't the only player in the memorial. Notably, Houston's James Harden and Russell Westbrook were present during the services. Devin Booker was also at Staples Center. Many of the players who attended the memorial service also flew out of Los Angeles immediately afterward in order to be at their respective games. It was a fitting sendoff to one of the greatest players to ever play the game.
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