PHILADELPHIA -- Since the tragic news of Kobe Bryant's passing first broke on Sunday, teams and players from across the league's landscape have paid tribute to the Lakers legend in a variety of ways. On Tuesday night, it was Philadelphia's turn.
While Los Angeles was Bryant's adopted address, Philadelphia was his first home; where he fell in love with the game that would come to define his life, and where he first became known nationally as a fresh-faced phenom from Lower Merion High School. Kobe may have played for the Lakers, but he wasn't showtime. He had an East Coast attitude and a blue collar work ethic. The kind that resonates with the fans of Philadelphia. Sure they booed Bryant because they had to; he was the enemy on the court. But make no mistake: If he had suited up for the Sixers instead, he would have been embraced in the city like few before him, and on Tuesday, the Philly faithful got a chance to show their appreciation for Kobe's career, albeit under extremely unfortunate circumstances.
Yellow Lakers jersey speckled the usual sea of blue and red in the Wells Fargo Center stands. Chants of "Kobe, Kobe" rang out leading up to, and following the pregame tribute to Bryant and the other eight individuals that passed away in that helicopter in Calabasas, California. The Sixers took the floor in special No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys with Bryant's name on the back. Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris honored Bryant with their footwear. Zhaire Smith permanently switched his jersey from No. 8, while Joel Embiid, who said that Bryant inspired him to pick up a basketball in the first place, wore a No. 24 jersey for the entirety of the game (with Bobby Jones' blessing).
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 29, 2020
As an organization, the Sixers honored Bryant by having the No. 33 from his days at Lower Merion printed on the floor. They also held a moment of silence and rang their traditional pregame bell nine times -- once for each of the victims of the crash.
The Philadelphia 76ers pay tribute to Kobe Bryant by holding a moment of silence and ringing the bell nine times to recognize the nine lives lost. pic.twitter.com/Y8K2cHGUpJ
— NBA (@NBA) January 29, 2020
As other teams had, the Sixers and Warriors took an 8-second backcourt violation and 24-second shot-clock violation, respectively, to start the game as a sign of respect. The Sixers went on to win 115-104, but the outcome seemed secondary, as the evening was all about honoring Bryant. Brett Brown even admitted that the gravity of the moment caused him to alter his normal approach to coaching.
"I really chose not to coach at the start," Brown said. "You felt like you're cheapening the night. You obviously were trying to get us organized, but to come out and handle a game like you normally would handle a game, I would not be telling the truth [if I said] that's how we started, and that's that."
In addition to wearing the No. 24, Embiid finished the game with 24 points, the last two of which came on a Kobe-esque fadeaway during which he yelled "Kobe!" while shooting. Afterwards, Embiid explained that if it weren't for Bryant, he wouldn't be sitting there answering our questions.
"Back in 2010 watching the Finals, Lakers against Celtics, that was the turning point in my life," Embiid said. "Watching that Finals, watching Kobe. After watching I just wanted to be like him. I just wanted to play basketball... I don't think if it wasn't for that moment, I wouldn't be here. [I] probably would have been playing volleyball or something... [Kobe] meant a lot to me."
Embiid honored Bryant with a jersey switch against the Warriors, but he also knows how to continue to honor the late Lakers legend moving forward, even when he's back to wearing No. 21.
"Just looking at his career and what he was about, that Mamba mentality, it was about outworking your opponent, outworking everybody else," Embiid said. "I know he would've wanted everybody to go out there and compete hard, play the game, and try to win. That's what he was about.. That's how you honor him. You go out there and you do your best, you keep working hard."
Bryant never played for the Sixers, but you would never know that based off of the way he was acknowledged on Tuesday night. He may be gone, but his legacy -- and the impact that he had on the game -- will live on through the millions of players, like Embiid, who he inspired during his playing days.
