Playing at the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open, Michael Phelps paid tribute to Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, who died in a helicopter crash Sunday.
Phelps wrote “8” and “24” on each heel, Kobe’s two numbers worn in his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also wrote “Mamba,” Kobe’s nickname, and “Mambacita” for Gianna.
Michael Phelps honored Kobe and Gigi Bryant on his golf shoes during the Waste Management Phoenix Open pro am today. pic.twitter.com/brzOarGkwq
— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) January 29, 2020
Bryant was known as a longtime swim supporter, often showing up at major meets to support Phelps. Most recently, he and Phelps appeared together, along with Gianna, in Irvine at 2018 Summer Nationals.
Kobe, 41, and Gianna, 13, died Sunday morning along with seven others when their private helicopter crashed into a hillside amid foggy conditions in Calabasas, California. The duo was on their way to a youth basketball game in Thousand Oaks.
Bryant was a five-time NBA Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, the 2008 NBA MVP, an 18-time NBA All-Star, and is the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history. He was also a two-time Olympic gold medalist as a member of the U.S. men’s basketball team in 2008 and 2012. Bryant retired from the NBA in 2016 and won an Academy Award in 2018 for Best Animated Short Film for his film Dear Basketball.
Bryant and his wife Vanessa had their fourth daughter in June of 2019.
I’m glad the tribute wasn’t taking a 24 stroke penalty on hole #8. By the way, does anyone else think that they whole basketball teams taking 24 second shot clock or 8 second back court violations to start a game in the complete opposite will of what Kobe would have wanted? If something like this happened and he was still alive and playing, I could see him taking advantage of it and trying to steal the ball or something with as competitive as he was and what made him so great on the court. Just a thought.
Michael has still been silent over the death of Mac Miller… we demand answers
You DO realize that Bryant and Phelps were friends, right? Or was that lost on you?