Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving has returned to practice after missing Sunday's game against the New York Knicks in the wake of the death of his idol, Kobe Bryant.
Bryant, 41, died in a helicopter crash on Sunday morning in Calabasas.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson didn't want to speak for his star player but noted he was “tremendously affected” by Bryant's sudden death, according to SNY's Ian Begley. He said he's not certain if Irving will play Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons, but given that he took part in practice, it appears he might.
Atkinson wouldn't touch on the debate whether games should have been played in the wake of Kobe's death, but said his first reaction was that games should be canceled.
Doing so, however, could create a precedent for future deaths, that of role players, Hall of Famers, and other legends of the sport — creating a slippery slope of designation which could hurt the league's image.
There have been numerous tributes to Kobe in recent days, with players like Trae Young and Buddy Hield dedicating their big performances to the late Lakers legend.
Kyrie Irving was memorably close to Kobe, as the two were part of Team USA in 2012, forming a friendship from a mentorship. Irving wore Bryant's signature shoe line before getting his own sneaker with Nike. The star point guard spent a few summers working out with Bryant and learning from him, hence why he chose to sit out the night of his passing.
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