On Friday night at the Staples Center, the Los Angeles Lakers played their first game since the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant. The icon superstar's death sent shockwaves throughout the city as well as the storied franchise and its players.
Anthony Davis is one of those players that was heavily impacted by Bryant's tragedy, and he spoke about the impact it has had on him during this emotional week.
“Me personally, I was anxious, nervous,” Davis said of playing on Friday night in Los Angeles. “Just seeing everything and all the decals out on the floor. It was an emotional game for all of us, honestly. We just wanted to do our best to make him proud. I knew the first game was going to be emotional for us regardless, but you know it was just an emotional day. For me, it was just play as hard as I can because I know that's what he would've wanted me to do. Just to try my best.”
Davis would've made Bryant happy with his performance as he led the Lakers with some impressive numbers on both ends of the floor. The All-Star forward finished with a team-high 37 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Unfortunately, Davis' solid performance wasn't enough to top the Blazers with Damian Lillard having a Kobesque night against the purple and gold. Lillard, as he tends to do often against the Lakers, was on fire on Friday lighting up Los Angeles with a game-high 48 points.
Although the Lakers fell short, it was a special night for the team as they honored Bryant and all the lives lost in the helicopter crash last Sunday. Following the loss to the Blazers, Davis gave some fascinating insight into his relationship with Kobe and his favorite memory of the five-time NBA champion.
“I forgot to put my jersey on before the game, and when they called me to go in the game, I went up to the table and was about to take my warm-up t-shirt off, and I looked down, and I just had on a white t-shirt on underneath,” Davis said. “I just kind of creeped back to the bench, and Coach Krzyzewski was like, ‘what are you doing?' and I tried to whisper to him that I forgot my jersey, and I had to go sit down. Kobe [Bryant] just got on me. I can't say what he said, but it was along the lines of ‘why aren't you going in the game, this is your chance.' and I had to tell him that I didn't have my jersey on. He said some more things after that that I can't repeat, but now it's a thing for my conscience that I always check to see if I have my jersey on.”
Davis is one of many NBA players that have revealed storied they have about Bryant and the impact he has had on their lives. The Lakers legend will live on through these stories and the legacy he's left behind.
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