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Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel spoke eloquently about the Sunday loss of franchise legend Kobe Bryant, admitting it's difficult to strike the right balance between checking in with his players and allowing them some room to grieve.
“The biggest thing is that there's no wrong emotions when it comes to something like this,” said Vogel on Friday morning prior to the Lakers facing the Portland Trail Blazers at home. “It's not something that I plan on saying tonight, per se, but it's something we've talked about all week.
“We're all in this together, we're all feeling it and it's a tough time for all of us. We're going to go out and play each game embodying what [Kobe Bryant] stood for.”
Frank Vogel said he has to strike a balance every morning in terms of checking in with the players and giving them space. pic.twitter.com/zXe3TDhrGE
— Melissa Rohlin (@melissarohlin) January 31, 2020
Vogel perhaps captured it better than any coach or player has in the last few days. There are no right or wrong emotions when it comes to the loss of a great like Kobe Bryant.
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Some players have chosen to honor him by changing their jersey number and unofficially retiring it in his memory. Others have debated keeping No. 8 or No. 24 to show his legacy still lives. Some players and coaches have worn Nike's Kobe sneakers.
Some players have grieved by doing what he loved to do best — play basketball. Others have chosen to sit out and have a moment to themselves to process what went on and how life takes these twists and turns.
How they choose to process Bryant's death does not deserve a grade or an evaluation of their character, it's merely how a person chooses to go about the emotions.
Prior to their first game since Saturday (Tuesday's game against the Clippers was postponed), the atmosphere at the Staples Center will render all sorts of emotions from fans, coaches, and players, all joined by one common sentiment — basketball.
