Spurs And Raptors Both Dribble Out 24-Second Clock To Start Game In Honor Of Kobe Bryant
Just hours after the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors came together to remember him.
Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday that also reportedly claimed the life of his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
At the start of their game on Sunday, both the Spurs and Raptors paid tribute to Bryant by dribbling out the 24-second clock to start the game. Players from both teams stood together as they committed the violations, which were in part to honor the No. 24 jersey that Kobe wore at the end of his career.
Video of the tribute captured viral attention, spreading across social media and garnering a feature from NBA.com. The video showed that as those in the crowd realized what was happening, many rose to their feet and began cheering, with chants of “Kobe! Kobe!” rising up through the crowd.
The Spurs and Raptors started the game after both teams ran out the 24-second clock.
The tribute may have been the idea of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who had many battles with Bryant as both the Spurs and Lakers were perennial title contenders. Popovich frequently spoke highly of Bryant, including a tribute as the Lakers retired Kobe’s No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys in 2017.
“Kobe is one of those guys that every coach in the world says, ‘That would have been great to have an opportunity to coach that guy,'” he said, via the Los Angeles Times on Twitter.
“That’s the best thing I can say about him. It says everything.”
Popovich noted that Bryant was one of the most competitive players he had ever faced as well as one of the sharpest minds in NBA history.
“One of the greatest players of all time. It’s not just his talent or his physical skills,” Popovich said.
“He mind was on a par with Michael and Larry and Magic, guys like that. They thought the game, they knew what was going on.”
Raptors and Spurs dribble out the 24. pic.twitter.com/Qaz4Q7ux33
— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) January 26, 2020
The game was one of the first to start since news broke of Kobe’s fatal helicopter accident, so it was not clear if other teams might follow suit. But a number of current and former NBA players had already taken to social media to share their condolences and memories of playing with or against Kobe. That included his most famous teammate, Shaquille O’Neal, who said he felt “sick” at the news of his fellow Lakers legend’s passing.
