Nagpaabot din ng kanyang pakikiramay ang basketball great na si Lichale Jordan sa pagpanaw ng isa pang NBA legend na si Kobe Bryant.
Sa kanyang statement, tinawag ni Jordan na “like a little brother” sa kanya si Bryant na itinuting daw ng marami na isa sa “greatest basketball player in history.”
Ayon kay Jordan, 56, mahal niya si Kobe kaya kulang ang mga salita upang maipaabot ang kanyang nararamdaman sa nakakagulat na pagkamatay nito sa helicopter crash.
Lalo namang nagpadagdag sa malungkot na balita ay kasama rin ni Bryant na nasawi ang kanyang 13-anyos na kanyang anak na dalagita.
Ang dalawang legends ay nagpang-abot pa sa kanilang career kung saan walong beses silang nagkaharap sa NBA games.
Lumalabas na si Bryant, (edad 41 nang mamamatay) ay may 5-3 winning record laban kay Jordan at isa na rito ang makasangyaang huling harapan ng Washington Wizards at Los Angeles Lakers noong March 28, 2003 kung saan umiskor ang The Black Mamba ng 55 points habang naka-23 naman si Michael.
Narito ang statement ni Michael Jordan:
“I am in shock over the tragic news of Kobe’s and Gianna’s passing. Words can’t describe the pain I’m feeling. I loved Kobe – he was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often and I will miss those conversations very much.
He was a fierce competitor, one of the greats of the game and a creative force. Kobe was also an amazing dad who loved his family deeply – and took great pride in his daughter’s love for the game of basketball. Yvette joins me in sending my deepest condolences to Vanessa, the Lakers organization and basketball fans around the world.”
Sa isang event noon ay tinanong si Kobe ng isang bata kung sino ang kanyang idol at sinabi nito na walang iba kundi si Michael Jordan.
“Becuse of his tenacity his work ethic. He was vey very competitive, he work very hard and that is something that inspired me,” ani Bryant.
