Trae Young never shared an NBA floor with Kobe Bryant, but the two still built a relationship early in Young’s career. The two met in large part because Young was the favorite player for Bryant’s daughter, Gianna. Kobe participated in three NBA games during the 2019-20 season, and two of them were from Young.
This made Bryant’s death in January 2020 much more exciting for Young. Kobe was close to several NBA players, but Young also suffered the loss of Gianna. On the day of the helicopter crash, Young left wearing a number 8 shirt – Bryant’s old number – instead of his typical number 11. Tuesday was the one-year anniversary of Bryant’s death, and Young again found a way to honor the Legend of Laker.
Young’s Hawks led the Clippers by eight points, with about two minutes to go when he lined up close to the Atlanta logo. Swish. Atlanta’s lead increased to 11 in a shot that turned out to be decisive, and Young showed numbers two and four, “24”, Bryant’s other uniform number.
The fact that the moment has come against the Clippers, Bryant’s city-wide rival and team he almost signed in 2004, makes it all the more satisfying. Tributes ranging from teammates like Pau Gasol to friends like Kyrie Irving have been common in recent days, but Young’s devotion to Bryant’s legacy is especially inspiring. They may never have played against each other, but Kobe still managed to impact his career and life enough to attract such a tribute.