Anthony Davis Wanted To Make Kobe Bryant Proud After The Lakers’ Emotional Tribute
Anthony Davis was anxious before Friday's game.
He was already incredibly emotional about Kobe Bryant's death and he didn't know how he'd react when he saw 19,000 fans wearing T-shirts with Bryant's jersey number or heard them chanting Kobe's name.
He didn't know how he'd feel when he looked over at the two courtside seats where Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna sat while watching a game in December and saw them empty, covered in piles of red roses.
It was all heart-wrenching, but the video tributes really impacted Davis.
"To hear his voice, [I] had to come to the realization that he’s gone," Davis said.
Davis channeled all of his emotions into the game, finishing with 37 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and five blocked shots in the Lakers' 127-119 loss to Portland. It was their first time at Staples Center since Bryant died in a helicopter crash Sunday with Gianna and seven other people.
"Basketball is kind of like my stress reliever," Davis said. "To be able to be on the court with these guys who I know got my back. Through this entire week, being around the guys helped me out a lot."
Davis looked up to Bryant, whom he said was one of the first guys to put him under his wings and mentor him.
Bryant taught Davis a lot, but perhaps his most important lesson came during the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
"First time I met him, I’ll never forget," Davis said. "We were playing Nigeria. You’ll probably remember. And we were winning by like 60 or something like that. I finally got my chance to go in the game. I was just so happy to be around these guys, all these future Hall of Famers. I forgot to put my jersey on before the game. When coach [Mike Krzyzewski] called me to go into the game, I’m going up to the table and I’m about to take my warmup shirt off and I look down -- it’s just a white t-shirt underneath.
"I kind of creep back to the bench. I kind of whispered to him because I didn’t want these guys to hear me, ‘I forgot my jersey,’ and I go sit down. Kobe got on me like, I can’t say what he said, but basically, 'Why you not going in the game, it’s your chance.' I said, 'I don’t got my jersey on.' There’s a picture where he’s kind of looking into my warmup. He said some more things after that.”
Bryant's words stuck with Davis.
"Now before every game I kind of just check to make sure I have my jersey on," Davis said. "He taught me how to get dressed before a game."
Bryant immediately liked Davis, respecting the fact that he wasn't afraid to approach him and ask questions.
"Anthony was different just because of his curiosity about the game itself," Bryant told the Los Angeles Times last fall. "His obvious potential. His ability. But he had a curious nature about him and how he wanted to learn more and more about the game. So I'd gravitate toward that."
Bryant's death hit Davis hard.
On Wednesday, Davis and LeBron James got tattoos honoring Bryant on their legs. James shared a photo of his tattoo on his Instagram page Friday, which features an image of a snake -- representing the Black Mamba -- coiled around Bryant's jersey numbers, 8 and 24.
After learning that Bryant died during their flight home from Philadelphia on Sunday, the Lakers were devastated and none of the players spoke publicly until Friday.
But Davis made sure that he honored Bryant hours before he opened his mouth.
Davis attacked the basket, weaved through defenders, made three three-pointers, attacked the boards, swatted shots -- and most importantly, he remembered to wear his jersey.
"I tried my best to make him proud," Davis said.
