Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady shared heartfelt two-word tribute to Kobe Bryant on fifth anniversary of NBA icon’s death | NBA News

Tom Brady, Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Image via: Maddie Meyer, Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images

Tom Brady joined the sports world in honoring NBA legend Kobe Bryant on the fifth anniversary of his tragic death. The seven-time Super Bowl champion shared a heartfelt two-word tribute showing his admiration and respect for the late basketball icon. Several NBA and WNBA athletes, along with veterans of the league and countless fans of the sports world, remembered the enormous impact of Bryant’s legacy. It has been five years since the devastating Helicopter crash in 2020 that claimed the lives of Bryant and his daughter Gianna.

NFL legend Tom Brady paid tribute to Kobe Bryant on the fifth anniversary of his death

Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady. Image via: Charles Krupa/Associated Press

NFL legend Tom Brady shared a touching tribute on Instagram on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s death, his recent story on the platform was captioned with the words “Mamba foreverAnd three red hearts as he honored the legendary Laker icon with his familiar nickname.
Brady, who has admired Bryant’s astonishing legacy in the NBA, was deeply affected by Bryant’s tragic and untimely death. The five-time Super Bowl MVP previously mourned the passing of Bryant in a heartfelt post on X. “I have been deeply affected by the passing of Kobe, Gigi and in the tragic flight weeks ago. Since then, I have witnessed the well-deserved outpouring of love and support for the families,” Brady wrote on the platform a month after the Olympic gold medal.

“In Kobe, we were able to witness the man in the arena. For many of us, sports show what we are made of, they define our personalities and emotions,” he added.
Five years ago, on January 26, 2020, the sports world mourned the tragic loss of Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a devastating helicopter crash near Los Angeles. Kobe, who spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, left a lasting legacy both on and off the court.
An 18-year-old All-Star, Bryant led the Lakers to five NBA championships in just a decade and earned league MVP honors in 2008.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has also recalled Bryant’s influence on his career. “It just made me believe that a guy like him could believe that I could compete for MVP,” Antetokounmpo told Yahoo Sports.
“I was amazed. I worked extremely hard, I always worked hard, but it was extra motivation. Because it was someone I looked up to. I always played with a chip on my shoulder, like the world was against me,” he added.
Also read: “rest in peace my brother”: Scottie Pippen shares heartfelt words for Kobe and Gigi Bryant on the anniversary of their deaths
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards said: “He was one of a kind, there was no one else like him. A lot of guys will play like him, but there will never be another Kobe. ” Edwards added, “But I’m glad to be in the same position as him, because to me he’s the second best shooting guard of all time, behind Mike. It’s great to be in that quote-unquote tree. “
Gianna was also an aspiring basketball athlete, following in her father’s footsteps.