?Was This Real? You Hear Stuff Like This All the Time?: Celtics Legend Remembers the Fateful Day Kobe Bryant Passed Away

On an unfortunate day in January 2020, a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, took the lives of nine people, including Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant. The NBA world was shaken by the devastating event, as it was a genuine moment of disbelief. It was one of those incidents that stick in the memory, where everyone remembers exactly what they were doing when it happened. Similarly, a Boston Celtics legend recalled the fateful day when one of his fiercest rivals passed away.

The Black Mamba was a competitive menace for everyone in the league, which is why his untimely demise continues to weigh heavily on the hearts of fans and colleagues alike. One of Bryant’s longtime rivals recently shared the difficulties he had in accepting the tragic loss of the Los Angeles Lakers icon and his daughter.

NBA legend reveals his feelings when he got to know about Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crash

The world was devastated in January 2020 when Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant passed away. Amongst the many who were mourning, some were too shocked to absorb the horrific information.?

Recently, in an interview with ‘CLNS History’, the Boston Celtics legend, Ray Allen revealed his recollection of events on January 26th, 2020 when he received the horrific news post a six-hour flight. Allen was flying from Phoenix to Hawaii when he noticed the phone screen of a fellow passenger with a picture of Kobe Bryant.

“I didn’t think anything of it[the picture of Kobe],” said Allen. He added, “And then I turned my phone on, as I was walking off the plane? it happened in the first 30-45 minutes of when I took off from Phoenix? everybody called me and I was walking through the terminal and I just couldn’t believe it,” Allen said.

He continued, “It was tough. I was around a lot of people that wanted to have conversations, just about basketball, about random stuff as I was getting my bags. I couldn’t have a conversation, you know, I couldn’t talk because I was trying to, kind of, understand this, you know, was this real? Like you hear stuff like this all the time.” Allen wasn’t alone in feeling this way, as fans and basketball legends across the globe were equally devastated.?

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A month later, the whole of the NBA mourned the loss of the Black Mamba and his beloved daughter. A memorial was held at Staples Center in Los Angeles to remember the beloved father-daughter duo.

Kobe Bryant and Gianna’s memorial in Los Angeles

In the memorial held on February 24th, 2020, thousands of fans appeared to pay their respects to the five-time NBA champion. Legends from the basketball world, like friend and mentor Michael Jordan, bid adieu to the Black Mamba with teary eyes.

Meanwhile, the Big Aristotle?was unable to hold back his tears while talking about the loss of his greatest teammate, who was more of a brother than a colleague.?Moreover, the loss of 13-year-old Gianna broke Shaq, as he couldn’t imagine the loss of such a young life.

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This year marked the third anniversary of their departure from this world. Everyone who has genuinely admired Bryant has strived to continue his legacy by adopting his mentality.