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Wiz Khalifa, Charlie Puth honor Kobe Bryant with emotional 'See You Again' halftime performance | TribLIVE.com
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Wiz Khalifa, Charlie Puth honor Kobe Bryant with emotional 'See You Again' halftime performance

Samson X Horne
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Fans watch a video tribute to Kobe Bryant, during halftime of an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers in Los Angeles, Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

The Los Angeles Lakers’ first game after the tragic death of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant was filled with heartfelt tributes.

Friday’s game at the Staples Center, “The house that Kobe built,” featured the Lakers hosting the Portland Trailblazers.

At halftime, Pittsburgh’s Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth performed their hit song “See You Again” to honor the crash victims.

“To the late Kobe Bryant,” Wiz said at the conclusion of their performance. “Peace and blessing to his entire family. His legacy is gonna be remembered. We love you, Kobe.”

Bryant, an NBA legend, died Sunday in a helicopter crash that also killed his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.

“See You Again” was released in 2015 as part of the “Furious 7” soundtrack and as a tribute song dedicated to the late Paul Walker.

Usher sang “Amazing Grace” in a pregame tribute and cellist Ben Hong played “Hallelujah” while a video montage of Bryant talking about his love of basketball, his family and his legacy played on the screens around the arena.

Since Bryant’s untimely death, celebrities and countless others have sent an outpouring of condolences and support to his wife, Vanessa, and their three surviving daughters.

On Wednesday, Vanessa Bryant issued her first statement since the accident, saying her family was “completely devastated.”

“My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time. Thank you for all the prayers. We definitely need them. We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna — a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri,” she wrote, in part, alongside a family photo. “We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately.”

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My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time. Thank you for all the prayers. We definitely need them. We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna — a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri. We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately. There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon. I’m not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it’s impossible to imagine life without them. But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way. Our love for them is endless — and that’s to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever. Thank you for sharing your joy, your grief and your support with us. We ask that you grant us the respect and privacy we will need to navigate this new reality. To honor our Team Mamba family, the Mamba Sports Foundation has set up the MambaOnThree Fund to help support the other families affected by this tragedy. To donate, please go to MambaOnThree.org. To further Kobe and Gianna’s legacy in youth sports, please visit MambaSportsFoundation.org. Thank you so much for lifting us up in your prayers, and for loving Kobe, Gigi, Natalia, Bianka, Capri and me. #Mamba #Mambacita #GirlsDad #DaddysGirls #Family ❤️

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant ? (@vanessabryant) on

Two empty seats draped with flowers and the jerseys of Bryant and his daughter “Gigi” were prominent courtside during the game.

Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers for the entirety of his 20-year professional career. He was an icon for the organization where he won five championships and compiled numerous individual awards. He ranks fourth all-time in total points scored in the NBA. Ironically, he was surpassed by LeBron James the night before the helicopter crash.

Portland won Friday night’s game 127 - 119.

Damian Lillard scored 48 points for the Trailblazers. He wasn’t in the mood to celebrate.

“I don’t feel like anybody feels like we walked away as a winner tonight, given the circumstances,” Lillard said after the game. “The memories that we’ll take away from it was just sad and just tough. It’s good that we had to compete, so being on the winning side is a positive, but I don’t think anybody walks away from this moment and this situation a winner.”

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