The start of the 2016 All-Star Game turned into an appreciation of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. With Sunday's game being his final All-Star appearance, Bryant received a loud ovation during his introduction and then the NBA kept the tributes coming as they showed two different videos that paid homage to the Lakers star.
The first tribute video showed highlights from Bryant's career and ended dramatically like a movie theater:
Thank you #KobeBryant https://t.co/5qdNYff0TR
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 15, 2016
Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson then took the mic and praised Bryant for a few minutes. "There will never be another Kobe Bryant," Johnson said. "Let's all get on our feet and let him hear it one more time."
This prompted the NBA to show another tribute video but this one featured messages to Bryant from All-Stars like Andre Drummond, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and LeBron James:
An emotional Bryant then thanked the crowd and his fellow All-Stars:
Two tributes and a speech may sound like a lot but this is Kobe Bryant we are talking about here: one of the greatest NBA players to ever play. This was a very fitting way for Bryant's final All-Star Game to start.
