On Sunday, January 26th, 2020, it was reported that NBA icon Kobe Bryant passed away in a tragic helicopter crash alongside his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and several friends. The world quickly began to mourn, including players in the popular basketball series NBA 2K.
When you login to NBA 2K20, you’re greeted with an image dedicated to Kobe Bryant. Players have also noticed that in-game billboards in the game’s virtual open world have been updated to display the same image from the login screen. Beyond 2K Games’ own efforts, players have taken it upon themselves to pay tribute to the NBA icon in-game.
On top of just filling Kobe Bryant’s virtual shoes on the court and playing some matches in his honor, players are decking out their custom characters with his Lakers jersey or team merchandise. The virtual streets of “The Neighborhood” are being illuminated with the player’s iconic gold jersey and has brought everyone together in a truly beautiful way. You can view some examples below.
Kobe Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers as a shooting guard from 1996 until he retired from the NBA in 2016. The infamous player who took on the nickname of Black Mamba repped the iconic numbers of 8 and 24 throughout his entire career and was a first-round draft pick in 1996.
Kobe Bryant also managed to grace the cover of NBA 2K10 and NBA 2K17’s Legend Edition which released the year he retired. The superstar graced the covers of other non-2K NBA titles as well, cementing his iconic status in sports history.
Bryant secured a number of prestigious awards and achievements during his NBA tenure with a number of MVP awards. The NBA icon also nabbed an Oscar in 2018 for the animated short film he wrote, Dear Basketball, which addressed his love for the sport and how he idolized it as a child.
Rest in Peace Kobe Bryant (1978 – 2020).
