Former NBA player and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant tragically passed away in January 2020 along with his daughter Gianna. But their legacy lives on, as proven by today being his birthday, when he would have turned 46. Personalities from the basketball world such as Magic Johnson, Pau Gasol and Dwayne Wade posted their messages on social media to honor Bryant’s memory.
Let’s start with Johnson. He’s obviously a Lakers icon and was part of the franchise’s dynasty, playing a major role alongside Larry Bird on the Boston Celtics in the 1980s. Johnson used his X account (formerly Twitter) to celebrate Bryant’s birthday by mentioning his many accomplishments, such as his five NBA championships, which the legend also won.
“Happy heavenly birthday to five-time NBA champion, Olympic gold medalist, Oscar and Academy Award winner and my friend Kobe Bryant! We all miss you, but your legacy lives on with us forever,” Johnson said Friday.
Another person who celebrated the late basketball great’s birthday was Gasol, who was close friends with Bryant and worked with him on the Lakers, where they won two championships in 2009 and 2010. Gasol remains close with the Bryant family to this day and posted a heartfelt message saying he misses him “very much” and will “always” think of him.
“Happy birthday, brother. I miss you very much and think of you always,” Gasol said.
More birthday wishes for Lakers icon Kobe Bryant
Although he was not affiliated with the Lakers in any way, former NBA basketball player for the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, also sent his birthday wishes to Bryant on social media by reposting an original post with “My brother.” Along with Michael Jordan, Bryant and Wade are considered two of the best shooting guards of all time, as both had great battles and were friends off the court as well.
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These three were far from the only ones posting on Bryant’s 46th birthday, whether they were basketball fans, Lakers fans, or even athletes from other sports. His impact on the sport now extends beyond basketball, but the official team’s X account also shared birthday wishes, calling Bryant the “heart and soul” of Los Angeles.
“Heart and soul of Los Angeles,” the Lakers account said. “Happy birthday, Kobe.”
There’s no doubt that Bryant’s name will live on forever in the record books when it comes to basketball, but more importantly, his legacy will live on through the way he impacted people around the world, and these birthday wishes are a microcosm of that.
