Carmelo Anthony Recalls Last Conversation With Kobe & Says They Talked About Gianna
Carmelo Anthony is admittedly struggling over the tragic death of his friend Kobe Bryant. In an emotional Instagram post, Melo detailed his last conversation with the late NBA legend, who had plans to be at Melo’s game this coming Friday.
Carmelo Anthony is mourning the devastating loss of his friend and former Olympic teammate Kobe Bryant. The Portland Trailblazers forward admittedly struggled to write his thoughts in an emotional Instagram post on January 29. He penned a long tribute to Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, who also perished in a helicopter crash in Southern California on Sunday, along with seven others.
“Damn Bro!! 😥 I hate when I have so much to say, but I can’t put any of it into words. The times I have the most to say are the times that I can’t talk,” Carmelo began alongside a throwback photo of him and Kobe sharing a hug after a Denver Nuggets (Melo’s former team) game against Kobe’s Lakers. “I’m screaming inside but I can’t be heard. YOU don’t know how hard it is to try to pretend to smile when I have these clouds of emotions,” he continued.
“YOU just called me and told me you were coming to the game Friday and that you were proud of me and ‘regardless of anything, stay true to myself and STAYME7O,'” Melo recalled. The Trailblazers are scheduled to play the Lakers on Friday, January 31 at Staples Center. “We were just laughing about how hard YOU was working GiGi and her teammates and I told YOU they need a day off 😂😢,” Melo said about GiGi’s AAU basketball team, which Kobe has out of his Mamba Sports Academy training facility in Thousand Oaks, California, for the past two years.
(Photo credit: Instagram/Carmelo Anthony)
Carmelo went on to question why such a tragedy had to happen.
“This pain is almost unbearable Champ! Why you bro? Why GiGi? Why leave Vanessa with this Sadness and Pain. WHY? This will never make sense to me,” he admitted. “I know I’m not suppose to question GODs Will. I know GOD doesn’t make mistakes. It just seems like It always rains the hardest on those who deserve the sun.” Melo admitted, “There are moments in life when there’s simply NO words to describe the pain within. This is one of them.”
He concluded by honoring Kobe’s legacy and the friendship they shared. “YOU will continue to be Loved. YOU will be missed. YOU will forever be remembered. YOUR legacy will live on FOREVER. OUR FRIENDSHIP will never be forgotten. I know YOU will be near, Even if I don’t see YOU. PEACE KING!!! ‘There Are No Goodbyes. Where Ever You’ll be, You’ll be in Our Hearts’ All Praise Due,” Melo concluded.
Melo and Kobe played against each other for years in the NBA, and won two gold medals together for Team USA in 2008 and 2012. Carmelo trails Kobe by 14 spots on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Our thoughts are with the Bryant family, as well as the other families impacted by this horrific tragedy.