On the one year anniversary of the death of Kobe Bryant, former Laker player and broadcaster Mychal Thompson joined Mike Max to remember Bryant.
"It's just so sad to think about it," Thompson said. "It just hits you in the gut."
Thompson, whose son Klay plays for the Warriors, remembered Kobe as his son's idol and a man who he would just sit and talk basketball with, either on his radio show or just as two friends chatting about the game they loved. He says that, even one year later, losing Bryant is very hard on him.
"Even to this day it's hard to beleive he's gone. It just hits you sometimes. Even though he wasn't my son, wasn't a relative, every day I still think about him. Kobe pops into my mind. Hardly a day goes by when I don't think about him and how much we miss him."
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The he former Gopher remembers the last time he saw Kobe Bryant. Kobe and his daughter, Gigi, were in the loading dock of the Staples Center and Thompson decided not to go talk to Bryant. It's a decision that haunts him to this day.
"I wish I would have gone over there and gave him a little dap or hug or say 'hey man, good to see you. How you doing, blah blah blah,' but like everything in life, sometimes we take things for granted."
Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna (13) and seven others died in a helicopter crash on January 26th, 2020. Bryant was 41 years old.