Three-time All-NBA First Team star Luka Doncic previously revealed that he was devastated following the death of Kobe Bryant, an individual who inspired him to play the game of basketball.
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Kobe Bryant was a ray of light to the sporting world. His way of life resonated with millions worldwide, who perceived him as a motivation to embrace life. This is why the NBA world was dejected and filled with misery when the five-time NBA champion was declared dead in 2020.
His unfortunate passing left the sporting world shattered, to say the least. Those directly related to Bryant undoubtedly faced the worst. But certain NBA stars also felt the brunt effects of the incident.
One such NBA star was new recruit Luka Doncic. Doncic had curated a relationship with Bryant in the short span since his arrival in 2018. The pair saw eye to eye in the manner in which they excelled at the game.
A visibly upset Luka combated the tears to delve into his thoughts on Bryan following the tragedy.
Luka Doncic speaks on Kobe Bryant following his passing!
The Dallas Mavericks had attained a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in their first fixture since Bryant’s death. The Slovenian was an emotional wreck, so to speak, and was unable to contain himself when speaking to the media post-game.
On being asked to reflect on what Bryant meant to him, a perturbed Doncic gathered his voice and responded to the reporters present in the locker room. Doncic said:
“He was a lot. He and Lebron were for me the guys that I play basketball. I looked up to them and that’s why I got motivated to play basketball. It’s just really hard.”
Doncic went on to reveal that he broke down at the wake of the end of the first quarter.
“I broke down after the first quarter. That’s when it really hit me. It was really hard to play today.”
Doncic was not alone in his feelings, for the entire NBA could resonate with what the 24-year-old went through at the time. It was a trying time for the sporting world, to say the least.
Kobe Bryant’s unfortunate passing!
It was disclosed on January 26th that Bryant, along with his daughter Gianna, and seven other people, unfortunately, passed away. Their deaths were a result of a helicopter crash, which was carrying them to his daughter’s game.
NBA stars since then have paid tributes to Bryant, his daughter, and the families of those affected in their own way. Doncic himself, prior to the start of the game, wore a Kobe sneaker with the victims’ names imprinted onto it.
Luka has the victims of the tragedy written on his Kobe’s. 💔#RIPmamba 🐍 pic.twitter.com/RdjlyV6LUB
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) January 28, 2020
The NBA world has made sure to remember the Black Mamba since then and will continue to do so for eternity, rest assured.
