Forever In Our Heart: Today 76ers player died in a car accident
The tragic loss of retired basketball great Kobe Bryant in a helicopter accident has affected sports all around the world, especially for one player at the Australian Open.
Only on Saturday did Novak Djokovic discuss the impact the legendary Los Angeles Lakers player had on his career; this was never truer than two years prior, when Djokovic was sidelined with an elbow injury and had dropped out of the top 20 of the ATP rankings.
However, he was grieving the loss of his “mentor and friend” on Monday.
“There are not enough words to express my deepest sympathies to the Bryants and every family suffering from this tragedy,” Djokovic posted to his Instagram account.
“May Gianna and you both be blessed by God. I appreciate you supporting me and inspiring everyone on the planet. We are grateful that you taught us athletes the proper way to compete and appreciate sports. We are grateful for the wonderful legacy you have left for us. I will always remember your smile, which brought happiness with you wherever you went. Our hearts will always remember you and your daughter. RIP, my dear friend. I wish you well.
Djokovic spoke with ESPN on Saturday about Bryant’s impact on his life.
“When I was suffering from my elbow injury, finding it difficult to cope emotionally and mentally with everything that was going on with me, falling in the rankings, and then having to climb back up,He was among the individuals who truly supported me, offering me some extremely helpful counsel and direction to help me kind of believe and trust in myself, trust the process that I’ll be back,” Djokovic remarked.
“I’m really appreciative of his support and presence in my life. I mean, who doesn’t adore Kobe? One of the greatest basketball players and athletes of all time, he’s a fantastic man.”
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When Bryant, 41, visited the US Open the previous year, he talked with Djokovic about how to handle injuries and the up-and-coming talent on the circuit.
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Kobe Bryant perished in a tragic helicopter accident.
Kobe Bryant, a former basketball player, perished in a helicopter accident.
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‘Physically, I’m not where I used to be,’ he was going through. How did you modifiy and alter your strategy?” Bryant stated back then.
We discussed it for a while, and I think it’s important for athletes to acknowledge that they’ve changed from who they once were.
“My man is Novak. We are in a relationship. We’ve been together for a very long time.”
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At the Staples Center on December 29, Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna watched a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks.
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Basketball icon Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter perish in a helicopter crash
After defeating Diego Schwartzman in three sets in the fourth round, Djokovic will face Milos Raonic in the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park on Tuesday. Bryant and soccer sensation Cristiano Ronaldo have served as mentors for Djokovic.
It is certainly an honor and a great pleasure for me to be surrounded by people like Cristiano and Kobe. Next to them is when I start school. I try to listen carefully, ask questions, and maintain an open mind,” said Djokovic.
“Neither they nor I are hesitant to ask questions. That seems like a really good way to share experiences and knowledge that you might find useful for your career, your life, or your sport. Telling them those life stories is just incredible.”
According to the local sheriff’s office, Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among the nine people who perished in the helicopter crash in Los Angeles on Monday morning. There were no survivors.
He had congratulated her on Saturday.After moving up to third place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers, LeBron James tweeted about it.
In reference to the number of points James had scored to eclipse Bryant’s career total of 33,643 points, Bryant used the hashtag #33644.
