LOS ANGELES — The service was called “A Celebration of Life” in memorializing Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, who were tragically killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 in Calabasas, California.
But by the end of Monday’s heart-wrenching ceremony at the Staples Center, it could have been amended to “A Reprioritizing of Life.”
It was an occasion in which the stars of stars from the NBA to entertainers to politicians were in attendance to pay their respects. It was a service of two distinct halves.
Early on in the event, basketball highlights of Gigi Bryant were played on the massive center-court screen with upbeat hip-hop tracks serving as the background music.