National Basketball Association

Kobe Bryant remembered on second anniversary of death

Updated Jan. 26, 2022 3:09 p.m. ET

On the second anniversary of his death, the sports world is remembering the life and legacy of Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant.

On Jan. 26, 2020, Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.

Bryant's death sent shock waves across the globe, and two years later, Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe took to the "Undisputed" desk to honor Bryant on the anniversary of the tragedy that took his life at age 41.

Sharpe began by reflecting on how Kobe's death still seems unreal.

"Guys like Kobe, they supposed to get like 85, 90 and die — not tragically in a helicopter crash," Sharpe said. "Even as I drive around downtown and I see the murals of Kobe and Gigi … it's like, ‘Is Kobe really gone? For real? Kobe’s not supposed to die. Not like this.'

"Gigi is supposed to still be here. She's supposed to be getting ready to go to college and play in the WNBA. Those families are supposed to be intact."

Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe remember Kobe Bryant

Today marks the second anniversary of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant's untimely death. Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe remember Kobe.

Skip Bayless also called Kobe's death "surreal" and remembered planning their show the next day, when he and Shannon were planning to talk all football, considering Super Bowl LV was scheduled for Feb. 7.

"We had to figure out how to discuss as tragic a loss as we could even fathom with a live crowd," Bayless said. "The beauty of it for me, as I look back in memory, as challenging as it was, that crowd — the whole front row was 24 and 8 [jerseys]. Purple and gold. And it was beautiful.

"That crowd came to talk a little football and a whole lot of Kobe."

Skip and Shannon weren't the only voices talking Kobe.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith outlined his five favorite moments from Kobe's career on Wednesday, including — of course — that 81-point performance.

Here is how the rest of the sports world honored Kobe on Wednesday: