“Kobe Bryant, when we meet again, we are going on that beer run”: Jimmy Fallon had a tear jerking tribute for the Lakers icon

Kobe Bryant was an icon in the NBA – no other place, time, or in history, was a snake(Black Mamba) loved like he was in the city of Angels(Los Angeles).

Up until 1996, a snake on hallowed grounds was considered unholy. And then came Kobe Bryant, ripping apart all notions of that. A young 17-year-old fresh-faced teenager who sounded like a 10-year vet was exactly was Los Angeles needed. They lost Magic Johnson a couple of years earlier, and someone had to restore the magic into the Staples Center.

In came Kobe, who was ready to set the world on fire. But before he managed to uproot the apple trees in Eden, he was just a simple guy who went to house parties. This was before the Mamba mentality kicked in, and he wasn’t in the gym at 3 in the morning. He met young and full of hope, Jimmy Fallon, at this party.

Not of legal age, Kobe volunteered to go do a beer run, since he was sober. He grabbed Jimmy along and went to a store that was closing up. They initially refused, but when Kobe produced his ID and said he was a Laker, they could not refuse! Anything for the purple and gold and little did they know they were serving a future legend. Thus began a lifelong friendship, that ended too soon. A party was saved, and a friendship was formed.

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Kobe Bryant will be remembered by the masses for years to come – legends like him are rare to come by

Not many people’s death stopped time as Kobe Bryant’s did – it was almost like a bad prank. It came out of nowhere, and nobody wanted to believe it. When it did sink in, the league, the fans, and the rest of the people were stunned. A cultural icon who was seen sitting courtside just a day ago was no more. Accidents take away a lot of good lives, Kobe, Gianna, and the rest of the people on the ill-fated flight happened to be a few of them.

Jimmy and Kobe had always been good friends since that fun night at the party, which made his death a lot more personal. Knowing someone from their humble beginnings hits harder when they leave abruptly at their highest. The tremble in Fallon’s voice when he had to say it with a straight face gave it up. He was not just a casual acquaintance, he was a close friend.

It’s been 2 and a half years to this date since that crash, but the pain hasn’t faded. A loss of this magnitude stays with you forever, like a dull throbbing pain at the back of your throat. You learn to live with it, but it never goes away. Kobe Bryant, you are missed and shall remain in the hearts of every single one you inspired. Mamba out.

Also Read: “You can’t have a basketball conversation without Kobe Bryant”: Allen Iverson speaks fondly about the Black Mamba and his influence on Basketball