Central Coast Kobe Bryant fans honor the NBA legend

Central Coast Kobe Bryant fans honor the NBA legend

Dozens of fans showed up to the Salinas High School vs Alisal High School game to sign basketballs that will be placed at Bryant’s memorial outside the Staples Center.

WE ARE BEGINNINGTONIGHT WITH THECENTRAL COASTHONORING BASKETBALLICON KOBE BRYANT..BRYANT WAS KILLEDIN A HELICOPTER CRASH...ALONG WITH HISDAUGHTER GIANNA AND 7OTHER PEOPLE..TONIGHT -- FANSREMEMBERED HIM AT THESALINAS HIGH AND ALISALHIGH BASKETBALLGAME...SIGNINGBASKETBALLS THAT WILLBE DELIVERED TOSTAPLES CENTER THISWEEKEND..### 37:18 "I THINK THIS IS A GREATWAYFOR YOU TO SAY FAREWELL SAYTHANKYOU AND OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERSOBVIOUSLY TO YOUR FAMILY."THOSE BASKETBALLSWILL JOIN WHATCONTINUES TO BE AGROWING MEMORIALOUTSIDE OF STAPLESCENTER..ACTION NEWSREPORTER CHRISTOPHERSALAS JOINS US WITHMORE..ON WHO WAS BEHINDTHE IDEA TO HONORKOBE AT TONIGHT'SGAME.IT WAS A COUPLE OFFANS OF KOBE BRYANTON THE CENTRAL COAST.ONE OF WHICH..

ALISALHEAD BASKETBALL COACHJOSE GIL..

WHOPERSONALLY KNEW KOAND DEVELOPED AFRIENDSHIP WITH THESUPERSTAR."JOSUE, JOSUE BEST OFLUCK TO YOU MAN.

BEST OFLUCK TO YOU, MAN.

I HEARDYOU HAD AN INJURY AND I'VEOBVIOUSLY BEEN THROUGHTHAT.

IT'S A LONG ROADAHEAD BUT IT'S A JOURNEYWORTH TAKING.TAKE YOUR TIME, STAYSTRONG, AND GO GET EM."THAT WAS THE MESSAGETHEN NBA SUPERSTARKOBE BRYANT HAD FORALISAL HIGH SCHOOLHEAD BASKETBALL COACHJOSE GIL'S SON..JUST AFTER HE TORE HISACL.24:18 "THOSE ARE THEMEMORIES I'LL NEVERFORGET." GIL WORKED ASA COMMISSIONER FORYEARS AT BRYANT'BASKETBALL ACADEMY..23:54 "TO WORK FOR HIMWAS THE MOST GRATIFYINGTHING." HE SAID BRYANTSOUGHT PERFECTION INEVERYTHING HE DID..OR AS KOBE CALLED IT..THE MAMBA MENTALITY.28:27 "MAMBA MENTALITYIS FOR EVERYONE." ITINSPIRED GIL TO STARTHIS OWN BASKETBALLACADEMY..BUT GIL SAID BRYANT'SMOST IMPRESSIVE TRAIT..WAS HIS CARE FOROTHERS..29:11 "HE WAS ALWAYSASKING ABOUT MY KIDS MYPERSONAL LIFE AND WANTEDTO KNOW MORE ABOUT MEAND THAT'S WHEN IT HIT MELIKE OH THIS GUY'S HUMAN."HUMAN..DESPITE HIS HERCULEANHEROICS ON THEHARDWOOD..PLACING HIM INBASKETBALLIMMORTALITY ..SHOCKING THE WORLD..AND GIL WHEN IT WASANNOUNCED BRYANTDIED IN A HELICOPTERCRASH AT THE AGE OF41..26:27 "WE WERE ON OURWAY TO WATCH STANFORD VSCAL IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL,AND FORTUNATELY I WAS THEPASSANGER." 27:07 "WHENWE GOT HOME, TURNED THETV ON THAT'S WHEN IT REALLYHIT.

THAT'S WHEN I REALLYBROKE DOWN.RECOGNITIONS.MEMORIALS THAT PEOPLEWERE DOING, THAT'S WHENIT REALLY HIT ME." GIL AHIS FRIEND FREDOFONTANEA WANTEDMAKE SURE BRYANT'SIMPACT ON THE CENTRALCOAST..WAS APPRECIATED ANDUNDERSTOOD..2088292 36:07 "SO WE'RELIKE, HEY LET'S GET A BALLGOING.LET'S GET A BALL GOING FROMTHE 831." DOZENSARRIVED TO SIGNMESSAGES FOR THE ICON..WHO WAS A GAMECHANGER ..BOTH ON..2088305 42:57 "I JUSTHAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FORHIS GAME AND WHAT HE DIDON THE COURT." AND OFFTHE COURT.31:39 "HIS EXAMPLE OFFAMILY FIRST ANDDAUGHTER'S AND KIDS BEINGA PRIORITY, HE WAS ON HISWAY TO TAKE HIS DAUGHTERTO A BASKETBALL GAME.

"31:50 "JUST THE EXAMPLETHAT HE SET OF ALWAYSMAKING HIS KIDS A PRIORITYWAS SOMETHING THAT IALWAYS RESPECT ANDLOOKED UP TO AS WELL."THE BALLS AT THE GAMEWILL BE AT HARTNELLCOLLEGE TOMORRWHEN THEY TAKE ONCABRILLO ..THEN THEY'LL BE SENTTO THE STAPLES CENTERAND THE MEMORIALSATURDAY MORNING.NOW TO THE LATES