SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Bay Area sports fans paid homage to the life of Kobe Bryant on Sunday.
The NBA legend was remembered with a tribute at Chase Center, home of the Warriors.
“I was completely in shock,” Gil Casanova said. “I just could not believe it.”
Casanova said he drove from Milpitas to pay his respects to the superstar.
He and his girlfriend made sure to wear Bryant’s #8 and #24 Lakers jerseys.
A self-described Sacramento Kings fan, Casanova said Kobe’s life was bigger than just one team.
“Because like when I grew up and like all of my friends you know we crumpled up paper and we would shoot in a garbage can saying ‘Kobe’ yeah and I don’t think theres like there’s any other basketball player that’s going to be like that,” he said.
Some fans took pictures while others sat and observed the tribute in silence.
Some even prayed, finding the tragedy difficult to comprehend.
“You know it’s still it’s so surreal I can’t really, can’t really put it into words but I just pray that their family is OK and I pray that whoever else was in that helicopter their families are OK as well,” Casanova said.
Bryant’s 13 year old daughter Gianna was among eight others also killed in the helicopter crash.
Fan Kia Koko said Kobe’s death makes him appreciate the things he has in life, most importantly his young daughter.
“I just want to make sure my daughter Sariah gets the chance to kinda learn about Kobe Bryant and how much he meant to me and our family growing up in Southern California,” Koko said.