Following the Lakers’ NBA title win on Sunday over the Miami Heat, Vanessa Bryant, the widow of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, shared a bittersweet message on Instagram. The team’s first title since Kobe Bryant’s last of five as a Laker in 2010 was celebrated by fans across the country as well as Bryant, who posted a photo of her husband with Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka on her Instagram story.
“Kobe was right RP! ‘Stay the course — blockout the noise,’” she wrote. “Wish Kobe and Gigi were here to see this.”
Bryant and his daughter Gianna, also known as Gigi, were killed along with seven others in a helicopter crash in January. Pelinka, who was Gigi’s godfather, told the Los Angeles Times that Bryant was confident that the team would climb back to the top. “Guess you were right, man,” Pelinka said, looking skyward. “You gave me the energy to do it.”
The Lakers beat the Heat 4–2 to win the 2020 NBA Finals, with LeBron James named as Finals MVP for the fourth time in his career. The win gave the team their 17th championship in franchise history, tying the Boston Celtics for the most all-time.
Bryant, who spent his entire career with the Lakers, is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, having won five NBA championships. He was also an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. In addition, he led the NBA in scoring twice and ranks fourth on the league's all-time regular-season scoring and all-time postseason scoring lists.
Following the basketball legend’s tragic death, the NBA postponed the Lakers' game against the Clippers. On January 30, the first game after the helicopter crash was played at Staples Center between the Clippers and the Kings. Before the game, the Clippers honored Bryant with a video tribute narrated by Paul George. The next day, the Lakers played their first game after Bryant’s death against the Trail Blazers.
Source: HuffPost