Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green offered a blunt take regarding Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant's shocking death. Green claimed he would rather talk to the deceased superstar rather than talk about him.
Speaking to reporters just a day after a helicopter ferrying Bryant and eight others crashed in Calabasas, California, a distraught Green admitted he does not feel comfortable talking about the incident. Bryant's sudden passing has left millions of fans around the world heartbroken. Per The Athletic's Anthony Slater:
“I don’t really want to talk about it. I’m trying to escape it. I’m not a mental health expert, so I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do. I don’t want to talk about Kobe. I want to talk to Kobe.”
Much like some of the brightest stars in the league today, Green had also developed a tight bond with Bryant. Bryant remained close to current players after retiring from basketball in 2016. The one-time Defensive Player of the Year also recalled how Bryant helped him crawl out of a dark place in his life when the Dubs lost a 3-1 advantage to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals.
Kobe Bryant's impact goes way beyond what he did inside the basketball court throughout his inspiring 20-year career. He has worked with numerous NBA stars since his retirement and remains as one of the most influential figures of this generation. Several NBA players have also come behind the notion of retiring his jersey number 24 league-wide. A petition of changing the NBA's logo to Bryant's likeness has also been gaining traction since yesterday.