Kevin Durant spoke with reporters on Tuesday about the death of Kobe Bryant, and how he feels the league should pay tribute to the Laker legend moving forward.
Although Durant explained that there's nothing big enough to truly honor the Black Mamba, he hopes each player will play with that fiery intensity and passion (aka the Mamba Mentality) that Kobe brought to each and every game and practice.
Says Durant:
"If every basketball player goes out there and plays as hard as they can every single night to honor Kobe I think that'll do. I tried to write, or think about what I would say or what I would write, and nothing was big enough, you know? That's how I feel about everything when it comes to Kobe Bryant.
It feels like nothing will ever be big enough to truly honor Kobe Bryant. But how we approach every day life - me as a disciple of Kobe, who studied him, learned from him - I think it's my justice to go out there and try to be the best I can be every single day. Not just in basketball, but in everything, and I feel like everybody who loved Kobe is going to take that approach in their lives."
The Brooklyn Nets were one of 16 teams to play on Sunday but they were without Kyrie Irving, who left Madison Square Garden immediately after learning the devastating news. The Nets have off on TUesday but they'll return to the court on Wednesday as they host the Detroit Pistons.