Getty There are several available live stream options for Kobe Bryant's funeral.
Los Angeles Lakers icon, Kobe Bryant will be NBA 2K21’s cover athlete for their Legend cover edition.
“Yeah, there is going to be Kobe,” NBA Hall of Famer, Shaquille O’Neal told me on the Scoop B Radio Podcast back in March.
“You don’t even have to worry about that. Definitely going to be Kobe. And I don’t know what they’re going to do with the money, but they’re going to do the right thing. Kobe’s family does the right thing.
“He’s definitely a big inspiration to all the kids and an inspiration to my kids.”
The thirteenth pick in the 1996 NBA Draft out of Ardmore, PA’s Lower Merion High School, Bryant played all 20 seasons of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Guided by head coach, Phil Jackson, Bryant won five NBA championships with the Lakers where he played along O’Neal, Metta World-Peace, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom.
Bryant is fourth on the NBA’s career scoring list after registering 33,643 points.
The two-time NBA Finals MVP award winner was the NBA’s regular-season MVP in 2008 and also has the distinction of being named an 18-time NBA All-Star.
He’s also a four-time NBA All-Star MVP, two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist, an NBA Slam Dunk Champion, 11-time All-NBA First Team recipient, two-time NBA scoring champion and wore numbers 8 and 24, both of which were retired by the Los Angeles Lakers organization.
Bryant’s appearance on NBA 2K 21 makes all of the sense in the world.
On Sunday January 26, 2020, Bryant died in a helicopter crash that took the lives of nine people, including his daughter, Gigi. His death happened the day after LeBron James passed Bryant on the NBA’s all-time scoring list in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Bryant won’t be NBA 2K 21’s only cover athlete. Portland Trail Blazers point guard, Damian Lillard will be too.
“This is a special moment for me in my NBA career,” Lillard, a five-time NBA All-Star said in a released statement.
“I’ve been a fan of NBA 2K for years and love how they represent all aspects of basketball culture. I’m an avid 2K player so I’m honored to join the other NBA greats who have been on the cover. I’m grateful to all my fans and can’t wait for everyone to experience the game later this year.”
New Orleans Pelicans rookie, Zion Williamson will also be an NBA 2K 21 cover athlete. “It’s a dream come true,” Williamson told ESPN’s The Undefeated.
“At those AAU tournaments, you’re looking at the cover thinking, ‘That’s gonna be me.’ For it to happen that fast, it’s a huge honor.”