SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The world is still reeling, one day after NBA legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven other passengers.
Whether you loved him or hated him, Bryant, one of the greatest players to pick up a basketball, made you feel something. And that respect was held throughout the league, as evidence as the ways teams have honored him in games following his death.
On Monday, the Sacramento Kings and the Minnesota Timberwolves tipped off, memorializing Bryant by taking an eight-second violation followed by a 24-second violation — representing the two numbers Bryant wore in during his career.
Kings fans — and the organization — still recognize Bryant's greatness despite him being the team's biggest rival for the entirety of his NBA career.
Bryant's record against the Kings is a bit one-sided, having beat the Kings 42 out of 64 times he played against the Sacramento. But it's impossible to discuss a Lakers-Kings rivalry without discussing the controversial 2002 NBA Western Conference Finals.
Bryant in that series had a per-game average of 27 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.4 steals. The Lakers, led by Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, went on to defeat the Kings in seven games to advance to the 2002 NBA Finals.
The Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets to win their third consecutive NBA Championship.
Bryant's career was so spectacular that, when compared to the Sacramento Kings, he has been more accomplished in terms of awards and records.
The Kings have been in Sacramento four years longer than Kobe's career, yet the "Black Mamba" still comes out on top.
Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers
- 5-time NBA champion (2000-2002, 2009, 2010)
- NBA MVP (2008)
- 18-time NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2016)
- 4-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011)
- 11-time All-NBA First Team (2002–2004, 2006–2013)
- 2-time All-NBA Second Team (2000–2001)
- 2-time All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005)
- 9-time NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003–2004, 2006–2011)
- 3-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001–2002, 2012)
- 2-time NBA scoring champion (2006–2007)
- 2-time Olympic gold medalist (2008, 2012)
- NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1997)
- NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997)
- Los Angeles Lakers all-time leading scorer (33,643 points)
- Naismith Prep Player of the Year (1996)
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Sacramento Kings
- 18-time NBA All-Star (1993-1998, 2000-2004, 2015-2017) with players DeMarcus Cousins (3), Brad Miller, Peja Stojakovic (3), Chris Webber (4), Vlade Divac and Mitch Richmond (6).
- NBA All-Star Game MVP Mitch Richmond (1995)
- 2-time All NBA Second Team (2015-2016) with Demarcus Cousins
- 2-time NBA All-Defensive First Team (2006,2003) with Ron Artest and Doug Christie
- 3-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001-2002,2004) with Doug Christie
- 2 Olympic gold medalists with Mitch Richmond (1996) and Demarcus Cousins (2016)
- Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans (2010)
- Sacramento Kings’ all-time leading scorer with Mitch Richmond (12,070 points)
- Sixth man of the Year with Bobby Jackson (2003)
- NBA J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award Winner with Vlade Divac (2000)
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