Miami Heat continue Kobe Bryant homage by donning his shoes Tuesday against the Celtics.
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra already has a plan once his sons are old enough to understand. When Dante and Santiago Spoelstra start learning the game of basketball, their father has intentions of buying them a pair of Kobe Bryant shoes. “I’m already planning on, when my sons get old enough, to order the Kobes. I’m doing that,” Spoelstra said after Tuesday’s loss to the Boston Celtics. “I’m going to tell them the story of Kobe Bryant. When they’re old enough to understand, those shoes will be a symbol of excellence of work ethic and commitment and class.”
Bryant and eight others were killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday. He was 41. His 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was among the victims. Bryant, who retired in 2016, is regarded as one of the top ten players in league history. The Heat held a tribute before Monday’s game against the Orlando Magic, but it continued the next day against the Celtics. Both teams donned Bryant’s distinctive sneaker, and his jersey numbers, 24 and 8, were displayed behind the basketball goal at AmericanAirlines Arena.
“Both public relations staffers mentioned it. “We were all on board,” Spoelstra explained. “All of us already had these sneakers. If we needed to obtain new ones, the boys could do it. This is something that both sides wanted to accomplish, and we are all on board with continuing to appreciate and recognize what occurred. I emailed Dwyane (Wade), and we’ve all been battling with this enormous mental burden. It’s as if your mind has been stuck in mud for the past two and a half days.
Bam Adebayo, a center, was among the most afflicted players. Growing up, Bryant was his favorite athlete. He dedicated his third triple-double of the season on Monday to Bryant. Sadly, they never met in person. “It still hurts for all of us in the NBA,” Adebayo admitted. “It will always feel like something is missing.
