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  • The Staples Center, home to the Los Angeles Lakers, was a much more somber venue on February 24, 2020, when the arena was used to honor one of the team's very own legends.

  • A memorial was held for Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna "Gigi" Bryant, to celebrate their lives that were taken all too soon.

  • Kobe and Gigi died in a tragic helicopter crash, along with seven others, on January 26 in Calabasas while en route to a youth basketball tournament.

  • Vanessa Bryant, Kobe's wife, and the mother to his four children, including 13-year-old Gigi, took the stage to deliver an emotional speech about the "most amazing husband" and their daughter's "sweet grace," as well as her athletic abilities.

  • Vanessa wasn't the only one to get in front of the crowd.

  • Beyoncé performed "XO," which she mentioned was one of Kobe's favorite songs.

  • Shaquille O'Neal drew big laughs with his sweet tribute, while Michael Jordan gave a somber speech that will likely move you to tears yourself.

  • Please, rest in peace, little brother.

  • Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan shared more than just the basketball court: They had a close bond as people, no matter how competitive they got.

  • At the memorial, Jordan spoke to their strong connection.

  • "Kobe was my dear friend."

  • "He was like a little brother."

  • "All of us have little brothers, little sisters who for whatever reason always tend to get in your stuff..."

  • "It was a nuisance, if I can say that word."

  • "But that nuisance turned into love over a period of time…"

  • Like a sibling, Kobe frequently sought Jordan's advice about the sport.

  • "He used to call me, text me, 11:30, 2:30, 3 o'clock in the morning, talking about post-up moves, footwork, and sometimes the triangle."

  • "At first, it was an aggravation, but then it turned into a certain passion."

  • And at the end of his heart-wrenching speech, Jordan brought things full circle:

  • I promise you from this day forward, I will live with the memories of knowing that I had a little brother that I tried to help in every way I could.

  • Kobe Bryant's love of basketball was undeniable and that's something Michael Jordan spoke to in his tribute.

  • What Kobe Bryant was to me was the inspiration that someone truly cared about the way either I played the game or the way that he wanted to play the game.

  • Kobe's dedication helped Jordan better himself, too.

  • Jordan continued, saying, "He wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be.

  • As I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be.

  • To do that, you had to put up with the aggravation, the late-night calls, or the dumb questions.

  • I took great pride as I got to know Kobe Bryant that he was just trying to be a better person, a better basketball player."

  • As someone who, quote, "gave every last ounce of himself to what he was doing," Kobe always challenged Jordan.

  • He shared: "I admired him because his passion you rarely see, someone who's looking and trying to improve each and every day."

  • That same mindset, Jordan said, extended beyond the court and into Kobe's roles as a father and husband.

  • Michael Jordan also referenced the famous "Crying Jordan" meme in his speech at Bryant's memorial.

  • The popular meme of the basketball star's tear-stained face traces all the way back to his 2009 hall of fame induction.

  • And now, as Jordan joked, there may be a new meme in circulation, since he understandably couldn't hold back tears when talking about Kobe.

  • "I told my wife I wasn't going to do this because I didn't want to see that for the next three or four years."

  • "But that is what Kobe Bryant does to me."

  • Between the anecdotes and the tears, there was one big takeaway from Michael Jordan's speech about Kobe Bryant.

  • Jordan encouraged everyone to follow Kobe's lead by living in the moment, saying: "Kobe never left anything on the court and I think that's what he would want for us to do."

  • No one knows how much time we have.

  • That's why we must live in the moment.

  • We must enjoy the moment.

  • That same theme also applies beyond sports and into personal relationships.

  • Jordan continued, "We must reach and see and spend as much time as we can with our families and friends and the people that we absolutely love."

  • "To live in the moment means to enjoy each and everyone that we come in contact with."

The Staples Center, home to the Los Angeles Lakers, was a much more somber venue on February 24, 2020, when the arena was used to honor one of the team's very own legends.

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