Chicago Bulls, United Center Honor Lakers Legend Kobe Bryant
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Bulls played the San Antonio Spurs and won 110-109 Monday night, but on everybody's mind is the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant.
The Bulls players have been rocked by the news. They are young and many never saw Michael Jordan play. Kobe was their Jordan growing up.
CBS 2's Megan Mawicke reported on the scene Monday evening from the United Center.
The United Center itself went purple and gold to honor Kobe. Photos of the Lakers legend were projected on the video boards outside, and Monday afternoon, a makeshift memorial of messages surfaced, all in chalk.
They grace the sidewalks of the UC entrance.
The Bulls' Thaddeus Young has long worn Kobe Bryant shoes and he planned to wear a special pair Monday night to honor the bevolved basketball star.
They know it's not going to be easy to play.
The Bulls honored Bryant with a video tribute and a moment of silence Monday night. The Bulls also took an eight-second backcourt violation after winning the opening tip, while the Spurs took a 24-second violation.
Bryant's jersey numbers were 8 and 24.
"There will never be another Kobe Bryant," the Associated Press quoted Bulls guard Zach LaVine, who wears No. 8 and idolized Bryant growing up. "There's only one person like that ever. He touched so many lives in the way he affected basketball, and beyond that as well.''
Meanwhile, Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr also reflected Monday night on Bryant's passing and that of his daughter, Gianna. Kerr was on the last three championship Bulls teams alongside Michael Jordan – back when Bryant was just starting out with the Lakers in the 1990s.
"For me, the image that keeps coming back in my head is the footage of Kobe and his daughter at the Laker game about a month ago. She's asking him questions and he's pointing things out. She was obviously so enamored with the game, and then you just think about how beautiful that scene was and how many incredible times they had ahead of them, and I understand she was a hell of a player, and to think about all those times together that would have happened and should have happened."
