Hawaii basketball: UH players, coaches react to loss of Kobe Bryant
Tributes from all over the world continue to pour in following the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna along with seven others in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
The Hawaii basketball teams were no different. Bryant, who continued to have an influence in basketball in the years after his retirement in 2016, was an icon to many of the Rainbow Warriors and Wahine.
Here is a compilation of video interviews about Bryant with UH players and coaches over the last few days.
>> Head coach Eran Ganot, who saw Bryant at Los Angeles Lakers training camps at the Stan Sheriff Center twice, most recently in 2015.
#HawaiiMBB coach Eran Ganot was mindful of Kobe Bryant’s effect on a generation of players that includes his team.
“Having seen him in two training camps and the way he operates, there’s a legacy that goes bigger than basketball.”#Kobe pic.twitter.com/p9fA8ROMyd
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) January 30, 2020
>> Assistant coach Chris Gerlufsen, who as a Philadelphia native played against Bryant in the future NBA star’s days at Lower Merion High.
#HawaiiMBB assistant coach Chris Gerlufsen played against a young Kobe Bryant in high school in Philadelphia.
“It’s pretty neat to look back and think about some of the … games we got to play against each other. Those are good memories for me, for sure.”#Kobe pic.twitter.com/HL5IZekycX
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) January 30, 2020
>> Forward Justin Hemsley, a lifelong fan who wore his Kobe Bryant hoodie for days after Sunday’s tragedy.
SoCal native Justin Hemsley was a longtime Kobe Bryant fan. He took Sunday’s news particularly hard.#HawaiiMBB #Kobe pic.twitter.com/CBkZhc7dGE
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) January 30, 2020
>> Point guard Drew Buggs, who used to wear Bryant’s No. 8 during youth games.
Long Beach native and #HawaiiMBB point guard Drew Buggs shared why the death of Kobe Bryant was so impactful for him.
“I think we all can learn from Kobe … leave a good impact on people while you’re here, while you have an opportunity on this Earth.”#Kobe pic.twitter.com/oo9YKeQbSe
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) January 30, 2020
>> Forward Zigmars Raimo, who followed Bryant religiously in Latvia.
Kobe Bryant’s global reach was such that a young Zigmars Raimo idolized him in Latvia, wearing only the Laker great’s signature shoes.
“I have five home games left … in my college career and I’m never going to take any game for granted,” the #HawaiiMBB forward said.#Kobe pic.twitter.com/7JeX79rbaF
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) January 29, 2020
>> Head coach Laura Beeman, whose appreciation for Bryant grew in his post-playing career through his mentorship of his daughter, Gianna, and role in growing the women’s game.
The Wahine have a moment of silence planned for Thursday night’s game against UC Irvine. The game has been designated Daughter’s Night, with daughters getting in for $1.
Tomorrow night there will be a moment of silence to honor the ultimate #GirlDad, the #Mamba, #RIPKobe.
Remember it's Daughter's Night with $1 tickets. pic.twitter.com/XWNna3wwfI
— Hawai‘i Women's Basketball (@HawaiiWBB) January 30, 2020
It remains to be seen what kind of tribute the UH men’s team might do for Saturday’s home contest against Cal State Northridge.
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A couple final things — Lakers assistant Phil Handy, the former Hawaii guard, penned a must-read piece on The Undefeated with Marc J. Spears.
In it, Handy says “I wouldn’t be coaching in the NBA if it wasn’t for him.”
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Here’s photo and video of a Bryant media scrum upon his return to the Stan Sheriff Center for training camp in 2015 — his last season in the NBA.
And one of the games against the Jazz:
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