Kobe Bryant's passing is something that many people have yet to come to terms with. It's hard to put into words just how much he meant to not just the basketball community but the world as a whole. What makes his death more shocking, is that it was alongside his 13-year-old daughter and seven other people. Their lives were lost way too soon and it's hard to fathom how the families are coping right now. Today, a memorial for Kobe and Gianna was held at the Staples Center and it featured some touching tributes.

Near the end of the event, Kobe's former teammate, Shaq, got up on stage to tell some stories about their time playing together. Shaq told a particularly hilarious story in which he had to confront Kobe for not passing. When Shaq said "there is no I in team," Kobe clapped back and said, "I know but there's a 'M-E' in that motha fucka."

Michael Jordan was among the many NBA legends past and present who gathered at Staples Center on Monday to celebrate the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant. As part of today's memorial service, Jordan also delivered an emotional, tear-jerking speech complete with a perfectly timed moment of comedic relief. 

As seen in the video clip embedded below, Jordan drew a much-needed laugh from the crowd as he made reference to the viral "Crying Jordan" meme while wiping away his tears on stage in front of 20,000+ people.

Kobe and Gianna Bryant's tragic passing continues to sadden and shock many around the world. Kobe was one of the greatest basketball players this world has ever seen and was looked up to by many. His daughter was a rising star in basketball and seemed to be well on her way to the WNBA. Kobe, Gianna, and the seven others on the helicopter lost their lives way too soon and it's still hard to get over, a month later. Today, a public memorial was held for Kobe and Gianna, at the Staples Center. 

During the event, Vanessa Bryant got on stage and delivered a eulogy centered around Gianna and her relationship with her father, Kobe. The speech lasted close to 10 minutes and was beautiful from start to finish. Bryant received a standing ovation and was even helped off stage by none other than Michael Jordan. Bryant told touching jokes and anecdotes that resonated with the Staples Center crowd.

The Los Angeles Lakers, NBA legends past and present, fans and family have all gathered at Staples Center today for "A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant." In honor of the event, Nike has just released their chilling "Mamba Forever" ad, highlighting many of Kobe's achievements over the years, ranging from his rise as a high school basketball phenom in Philadelphia to his scoring accolades, championship titles, and love of being a "Girl Dad."

Check out the full ad in the video embedded below.

Zion Williamson came into the NBA with the weight of the world on his shoulders and very few people expected him to live up to the lofty expectations thrust upon him. When you're the number one overall pick, people expect a lot out of you and with Williamson, that was no different. After sustaining a knee injury prior to the start of the season, there was this fear that Zion would be a bust. Just a month ago, Zion finally came back into the Pelicans lineup and he has been on a tear ever since.

Last night, Williamson helped propel the Pelicans to a win over the Golden State Warriors as he scored 28 points. Perhaps his best highlight was immediately after missing a free throw. In the clip below, Williamson gets his own rebound, misses the put-back, rips the ball away from Damion Lee, and scores before being fouled.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be holding 'A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant' today, February 24th (2/24), as a nod to the numbers worn by both Gigi and Kobe. Those in attendance at Staples Center will receive a special edition t-shirt and program, both featuring memorable photos taken of the Laker legend and his daughter.

On Monday afternoon the Los Angeles Lakers will host 'A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant' at Staples Center, which will be filled to the rafters with Kobe and Gianna's fans, friends and family. Each of the 20,000+ people in attendance will receive commemorative t-shirts and booklets, featuring images of Kobe and his daughter, as well as other Bryant family photos and memorable moments from Kobe's Hall of Fame career.

Ahead of today's event, celebrity jeweler Ben Baller took to instagram to show off his custom Kobe chain and pendant, consisting of the Black Mamba's logo on one side and his No. 8 on the other. Baller captioned the instagram post:

"I wish I could have been at Staples center today ?? So in honor of legend, friend and the greatest Laker ever, I made myself this piece to remember you Kobe ?? Lots of baguettes. VS1-VVS2 D-E-F ? #KobeFarewell #BlackMamba #RIPKOBE #KB8."

The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant will not be shown on any video screens outside Staples Center, the event will air live on local tv stations starting at 10am local time (1pm ET). Live streams of 'A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant' can also be found on CNN's website, NBA TV, CBS All Access, and BET and its social media platforms.

Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash on January 26th in California. There were seven other people on board who also lost their lives. The news sent shockwaves throughout the NBA and the world at large. Since the tragic accident, numerous tributes have poured in for the nine victims. In fact, today, there is a public memorial at the Staples Center where Kobe and Gianna will be honored. 

Kobe’s wife, Vanessa, has made a few statements on social media since the passing of her husband and daughter. As you can imagine, Bryant is extremely hurt by what’s happened and she is looking for answers. According to TMZ, Vanessa recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Island Express which is the company that owned the helicopter Kobe was flying in. 

Harry How/Getty Images

Vanessa is saying that the helicopter never should have been allowed to fly in such terrible conditions and that the pilot, Ara George Zobayan, was flying too fast. In the report, it states that Zobayan had been punished for violating rules in the past. Court documents allege the pilot was going 180 MPH while flying through the fog.

Stay tuned for updates on this case as we will be sure to bring them to you.

With the NBA playoffs just a couple of months away, teams are beginning to shorten their benches while also adding players the waiver wire. If you're a team who believes they can win it all, now is the best time to make some big moves in order to consolidate some depth down the stretch. The Los Angeles Lakers understand this better than anybody as they currently boast the best record in the Western Conference. Just last week, there were rumors that the Lakers would sign free agent Markieff Morris who had just been bought out by the Detroit Pistons. 

Yesterday, the Lakers made the move official on social media. Morris is averaging 11 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists this season. With these numbers in mind, it's clear that Morris will make an impact on this Lakers squad in terms of depth scoring. The Lakers need some extra options coming off the bench and Morris fits that bill perfectly.

New Orleans Pelicans' rookie sensation Zion Williamson will get his first opportunity to go up against LeBron James on Tuesday night, as the Los Angeles Lakers host the Pelicans in a nationally televised game at Staples Center. Ahead of the highly anticipated showdown, Zion was asked to share his thoughts about LeBron, which included an opinion about the four-time MVP being somewhat under appreciated.

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Following New Orleans' 115-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night, Zion had this to say about his first matchup against LeBron (H/T Yahoo Sports).

"I used to watch him all the time, especially when he was in Cleveland the first time, he was just an incredible player to watch, he always held his own.

"Sometimes I feel he doesn't get the respect he deserves but it's not for me to decide."

Williamson entered his rookie season with the most hype of any player since LeBron was selected No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003. 17 seasons later and James is still among the most elite superstars in the league, averaging 25.2 points to go along with a league-leading 10.7 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game.

Zion, meanwhile, has quickly proven that he is worthy of all the hype as well. In his first 12 games since returning from an injured knee, the 19-year old phenom is averaging 22.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. As a result, he has helped the Pelicans climb to 10th in the Western Conference with a record of 25-32, just 3.5 games back of the eighth seed Memphis Grizzlies.

Tuesday night's matchup at Staples Center could serve as a preview for a first round matchup between the Pelicans and Lakers, but Zion says he's simply looking at it as another must-win matchup as there are only 25 games left on the schedule.

"I'm not necessarily looking at it from that perspective," Williamson told reporters on Sunday, according to Yahoo Sports.

"I'm looking at from the perspective as, you know we need every win, we're trying to fight for that eight seed in the playoffs."

Tuesday's Pelicans vs Lakers game will air on TNT at 10:30pm ET.