Namangha ang mga nakibahagi sa memorial na handog sa mag-amang Kobe at Gianna Bryant sa Staples Center na nasawi sa isang plane crash nakaraang buwan kasama ang pitong iba pa sa California nang ipakilala ang isa sa mga magsasalita na si NBA legend Michael Jordan.
Sorpresa ang lahat dahil walang naunang anunsyo kung sinu-sino ang makikibahagi sa memorial.
Michael Jordan Speaks at A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant
"There was a way he could bring out the best in you, and he did that for me." – Michael Jordan on Kobe Bryant
Posted by Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, 24 February 2020
Kaya naman nang ipakilala ni Jimmy Kimmel si Jordan bilang speaker kasunod ni Lakers General manager Rob Pelinka ay nagulat ang mga nasa arena.
Bibihira kasing magbigay ng talumpati si Jordan sa mga pampublikong lugar.
Maliban pa sa karamihan sa mga NBA star ay nagbigay lamang ng recorded video message para sa namayapang kasamahan sa NBA.
Sinalubong ang NBA legend ng palakpak at hiyawan subalit bago pa man makapagsalita ay bumuhos na ang luha sa mga mata ni Jordan habang inaapuhap ang masasayang sandali na kasama si Kobe.
Inilarawan ni Jordan si Kobe bilang kanyang little brother.
“Maybe it surprised people, that Kobe and I were very close friends, but we were very close friends. Kobe was my dear friend, he was like a little brother. Everyone always wanted to talk about the comparisons between he and I. I just wanted to talk about Kobe. You know all of us have little brothers and sisters who, for whatever reason, always tend to get in your stuff. Your closets. Your shoes. Everything. It was a nuisance. But that nuisance turned into love over a period of time. Just because the admiration that they had for you as big brothers or big sisters. The questions, the wanting to know every little detail about life that they were about to embark on. He used to call me, text me at 11:30, 2:30, three in the morning, talking about post-up moves, footwork and sometimes the triangle,” pagbabahagi ni Jordan sa ulat ng CBS sports online.
Sinabi pa ng NBA legend na nang masawi si Kobe ay parang bahagi nya ay namatay na rin.
“When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died. And as I look in this arena and across the globe, a piece of you died. Those are the memories we have to live with and we learn from. I promise you, from this day forward, I will live with the memories of know that I had a little brother, and that I tried to help in every way I could. Please, rest in peace, little brother,” ang tinig ng pamamaalam ni Michael Jordan sa aniya ay kanyang little brother.
