Kobe Bryant meant a lot to basketball players and fans around the world. Unfortunately, he shockingly passed away on January 26th alongside his daughter Gianna and seven others, in a helicopter crash. The tragedy brought the world together in a time where everyone was sad about what had just transpired. The Los Angeles Lakers found out about Kobe's passing while on a team flight home from Philadelphia. LeBron James was close to Kobe and immediately felt the loss of his friend.
In a piece from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, LeBron's role in helping his teammates during the tragedy was outlined quite thoroughly. According to the report, LeBron worked closely with management as well as NBA commissioner Adam Silver. These efforts eventually led to the postponing of a game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
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Per Windhorst:
"Then, in the wake of Bryant’s death, James worked alongside Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka to help manage his teammates in the emotional days. While Buss and Pelinka provided support to the Bryant family, James connected with team members, and then Silver directly, as he pushed for the postponement of a game against the LA Clippers because he didn’t believe the team was emotionally ready to play."
Since Kobe's passing, the team has come through with some incredible tributes and is dedicating the rest of the season in his honor.