Houston Rockets veterans James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and P.J. Tucker all attended Monday’s memorial service at Staples Center in Los Angeles for NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.
Both Kobe and Gianna passed away in late January, along with seven others, as part of a tragic helicopter crash in Southern California.
Flights between Los Angeles and Houston take roughly three hours, and the memorial service did not begin until 12:00 p.m. Central time.
Nonetheless, all three players plan to immediately fly back to Houston following the service in time for Monday night’s 7:00 p.m. Central tipoff between the Rockets and New York Knicks at Toyota Center.
Westbrook and Harden each grew up in Los Angeles during Bryant’s peak years with the Lakers, and they competed against Bryant in the playoffs during a pair of postseason series in 2010 and 2012. That led to a high degree of mutual respect between the three former NBA MVPs.
Speaking after a Jan. 26 game just hours after Bryant’s shocking death, Tucker called it one of the toughest days of his life.
During his legendary 20-year career with the Lakers, Bryant was a five-time NBA champion; an 18-time All-Star; a two-time Olympic gold medalist; and an MVP, among his numerous accolades.
Bryant is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and three other daughters. He was 41 years old at the time of his death.
