'Kobe means greatness': Giannis processes the death of a man who inspired him to play basketball

The Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics game was the first NBA game Milwaukee Bucks standout Giannis Antetokounmpo can recall seeing in his home country of Greece.  He was captivated by Kobe Bryant's performance.

 That allure never faded.  Bryant's style and demeanor were admirable to Antetokounmpo.  Giannis and his older brother Thanasis cherished the pair of Kobe 4 shoes they shared when he first began playing basketball.

Bryant had a significant impact on Antetokounmpo's journey once he made it to the NBA.  In Bryant's final game in Milwaukee on February 22, 2016, Antetokounmpo donned his shoes, recorded his first triple-double, and spent time learning from and conversing with Bryant that evening.  Later, on Twitter, Bryant challenged Antetokounmpo to be an MVP. The two worked out together in the summer of 2018, and Antetokounmpo was so excited about the day that he showed up three hours early to show how committed he was.

 "I grew up with Kobe," commented Antetokounmpo.  "Kobe had an impact on my life.  One of the reasons I started playing basketball was because I looked up to him.  One of my motivations for being here today.

The NBA as a whole, the Bucks organization, and Antetokounmpo in particular were devastated to learn on Sunday that Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven other people had perished in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.

 While millions of others used social media to cope with the tragedy, Antetokounmpo took a different approach.  Antetokounmpo removed his Instagram and Twitter accounts in the hours following Bryant's bombshell, which made headlines around the globe.

 On Monday, Antetokounmpo acknowledged that he still wasn't sure what to say, but he didn't address removing his social media accounts.  Being human, he is merely attempting to cope with this loss to the best of his ability.

After practice, Antetokounmpo responded, "Actually, I'm just trying to keep it private how I feel," when asked about his feelings.  "I think I have the last say.  Everyone handles grief differently, and I dealt with my dad's death a few years ago.  I didn't publicly discuss everything.  All I can say is that I offer up prayers for those impacted.

 "For everyone, yesterday was a terrible day for basketball.  Numerous people were significantly impacted by it.  My sincerest sympathies go out to Vanessa, their family, and the children they left behind.  I can only offer up prayers for them.

The Bucks had their first practice on Monday following their return from Friday's game against the Charlotte Hornets in Paris.  Their goal was to recover from jet lag and return to work before Tuesday's 7 p.m. game against the Washington Wizards at Fiserv Forum.

 They did continue to practice, but everyone was still dealing with the fallout from Sunday's tragedy and was still coming to terms with Bryant's passing in their own unique ways.  Although they stated they were unsure of the specifics, the Bucks will pay tribute to Bryant when they play on Tuesday.