Moments of silence honor NBA legend Kobe Bryant at NBA games, political rallies

A moment of silence at the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets game on Sunday honored NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
Anthony Leon “P. J.” Tucker Jr., who plays for the Rockets, wrote a tribute to Bryant on his shoes.
Former Vice President Joe Biden learned of Bryant’s sudden death at an Iowa campaign event and said that it’s a reminder to make “every single day count.”
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The news of basketball icon Kobe Bryant’s death on Sunday sent shockwaves across the country, with reactions pouring in on social media. Although NBA games continued as scheduled, athletes and politicians alike paid tribute to Bryant 41, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.

The Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets game went on as planned on Sunday afternoon, the Nuggets held a moment of silence for Bryant, who spent 20 years as a Los Angeles Laker. It was followed by Nuggets fans chanting Bryant’s name at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.

—Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 26, 2020

Anthony Leon “P. J.” Tucker Jr., who plays for the Rockets, wrote a message to Bryant on his shoes, which read, “RIP KB Love you KB24.”

—Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) January 26, 2020

Tucker and Rockets guard Austin Rivers were in tears as they honored Bryant before the game, Mike Leslie, a reporter at WFAA in Dallas, Texas, tweeted.

—Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) January 26, 2020

Bryant was an 18-time NBA All-Star and his remarkable contributions to basketball were also recognized at a Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs game. Players let the 24-second shot clock run out in memory of Bryant’s number.

Bryant began his illustrious tenure with the Lakers as No. 8 and switched to No. 24 — to mark the first number he wore while playing basketball in high school — at the start in the 2006-07 season, the Washington Post reported. Both numbers have since been retired.

—Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) January 26, 2020

Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden, who is campaigning in Des Moines ahead of the Iowa caucus, also held a moment of silence for Bryant.

News of Bryant’s death prompted audible gasps from rally attendees, according to local reports. Biden said he didn’t know Bryant very well, having only met him a few times, but said the news of his untimely death underscored that “you gotta make every day count. Every single solid day, every single day count,” videos from the scene show.