Former Los Angeles Lakers teammate pays emotional tribute to Kobe Bryant and Gigi Bryant on their 6th death anniversary

It has been 6 years since the world of the NBA lost its gem, Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant. The duo lost their lives on January 26, 2020, in a tragic helicopter crash. Today marks the 6th anniversary of their demise.

Tributes are pouring in for both Kobe and Gianna across social media platforms like Instagram and X.

Former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Derek Fisher also joined the line and drafted an emotional tribute for the NBA legend and his daughter.Derek was Kobe’s teammate on the Los Angeles Lakers. During Derek’s stay with the Lakers, he led the team alongside Kobe to championship wins in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010. Both players were widely acknowledged and appreciated for their respective performances.

In the tribute post, Derek talked about how they bonded over both the game and respective fatherhood.

Derek Fisher drafts heartfelt post for Kobe Bryant and GiGi

As the Los Angeles Lakers veteran Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi’s demise marks its 6th year, members of the NBA community paid their tributes. This included his peer athletes, former teammates and even recent generation athletes who got inspired by him. Former Lakers teammate Derek Fisher also dropped a heartfelt tribute on Instagram.

He drafted an emotional post talking about Kobe’s contribution in the game.

Fisher wrote, “Today we honor Kobe & Gigi. Two lives that left an impact far beyond basketball. Kobe loved the game, but he loved being a father even more. Watching him coach and lead his girls was one of the most special things to witness.”

The New York Knicks' former coach further added, “We bonded over raising our kids, and that bond grew even stronger when we started coaching our own kids, passing on the game we love.”

Derek explained the factors that bonded him with Kobe. He ended the tribute post by adding, “Your light still shines. Your love still echoes. Forever in our hearts.” Towards the end, Fisher also expressed his tributes to others who lost their lives in the crash.

This included John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, and Ara Zobayan.

NBA Hall of Famer Vince Carter pays heartfelt tribute to Kobe Bryant

Vince Carter turned 49 on January 26, 2026. However, on his birthday, the NBA Hall of Famer instead paid homage to the legendary athlete Kobe Bryant and his daughter GiGi. While drafting the post, Carter wrote, “In loving memory to this group of angels that we lost on this day….” The post included the names of 7 other individuals who lost their lives on the same date in that tragic helicopter case.