Former US President Barack Obama made a few appearances at the adjacent events of the NBA All-Star Weekend on Saturday in his adopted hometown of Chicago. At an event in coordination with the Obama Foundation, the former president recalled his last conversation with the late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, per ESPN's Marc Spears.

That sentiment echoes what many folks said about Kobe in the wake of his untimely passing. Obama previously put out a tweet a few hours after the tragic news.

Earlier on Saturday, the 44th president began his remarks at the NBA All-Star Brunch by speaking on the tragedy from the perspective of a parent. He also offered condolences to the family of the late David Stern.

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“That loss is something that I know many are still grappling with,” Obama said. “Particularly Kobe, because he was with his daughter and those families and with those children, and those of us who have had the joy and the privilege of being parents and taking kids to ballgames and rooting for our children and seeing our dreams and hopes passed onto them. Nothing’s more heartbreaking. And so I want to offer the NBA family Michelle's and my deepest condolences, and obviously the families of the Sterns and the Bryants.”

Barack Obama also stopped by the Greater Chicago Food Depository for an NBA Cares event, where he spent some time with the New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson and Dallas Mavericks All Star Luka Doncic.

Kobe Bryant's untimely and tragic passing last month rocked not only the NBA, but the whole world. The Lakers star was on his way to a travel basketball game in his own Mamba Sports academy along with his daughter and seven other people. Unfortunately, the helicopter they were riding crashed in Calabasas, California.

Several tributes have been made in honor of Kobe and the other victims, and they will certainly be forever be remembered by the NBA, the sports community, their friends and loved one.