Vanessa Bryant, LeBron, others share posts

Athletes and teams come out in force to pay tribute to Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant on his birthday. Bryant, who died in January, would have been 42 on Sunday.

Bryant Vanessa’s wife sent a long message to her late husband on Sunday. In it, Vanessa said she missed Kobe and daughter Gianna Bryant, who also died in the January helicopter crash. Vanessa thanks Kobe for everything too.

Vanessa Bryant’s full post reads:

To my baby –

Happy Birthday. I love you and miss you more than I can ever explain. I wish you and Gigi were here to celebrate YOU! I wish I could make you your fav food as a birthday cake with my Gigi. I miss your big hugs, your kisses, your smile, your loud ass deep laughs. I miss teasing you, making you laugh and bursting your bubble. I miss you sitting on my lap like my big baby that you are. I think of your tenderness and patience all the time. I think of everything that has thrown my way. Thanks for growing up with me and teaching me how to be strong. How can you best try to see in people but cut the bs. Your thought gestures and the great way you made us all feel is completely missed. I give the day a smile and broad great healing powers. God, I miss you both so much. Our lives feel so empty without you and Gigi. I’m completely broken inside. As much as I want to cry, I put a smile on my face to make our daughters days a little brighter. I’m not the strong one, that’s them. They are strong and resilient. I’m sure you’m proud of her. They put a smile on my face every day. I wish I could wake up from this terrible nightmare. I wish I could surprise our girls and welcome you and Gigi to our home. I’m crazy I did not go at first. I always wanted to go first so I didn’t feel selfish this heartbeat. You would miss me. Gigi should be here with her sisters. It must have been me. There’s so much I wish I could tell you and show you and Gigi. So many things you would both be happy to see and be apart of. So many milestones for our girls. So many things you would be proud of. I’m so thankful I have pieces of heaven here on earth to wake up to – thank YOU. Thank you so much for loving me enough to last several days of my life. In all the days of my life I would choose YOU. Thanks for showing me what true love is. Thank you for everything. I know my Gigi will treat you like she always has on our special days. I miss my thought princess so much! Natalia, Gianna, Bianka, Capri and I wish you a happy birthday my love. I love you for now, forever and ever.

A number of athletes – including Vince Carter, Sabrina Ionescu and LeBron James – also sent touching messages in honor of Bryant on his birthday. Both the NBA and WNBA also sent out tributes.

Lakers also send tribute to Kobe Bryant

The Lakers tweeted two tributes out to Bryant. The first was a graphic that read “Happy Birthday.” The Lakers wrote “we miss you every day.”

The second was a video of Bryant’s career.

LeBron James shared the graphic of Lakers, and other tributes to Bryant on James’ Instagram story.

Kendrick Lamar tells Nike ad dedicated to Kobe Bryant

Nike also released a video focusing on Bryant. The company hired Kendrick Lamar to provide the voiceover for it.

Sabrina Ionescu shared that video on Instagram.

Other athletes send messages in honor of Kobe Bryant

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