Devin Booker Reflects on Kobe Bryant’s Lasting Influence During Los Angeles All-Star Weekend
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As the 2026 NBA All-Star festivities concluded in Los Angeles, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker took a moment to honor the late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, whose legacy loomed large over the weekend’s events.
Nike and other partners highlighted Bryant’s career throughout All-Star Weekend, which returned to the city where he spent all 20 of his NBA seasons. Speaking after the closing events, Booker recalled Bryant’s impact on his own development and the league as a whole.
“We all miss Kobe; he’s had a lasting impact on this league, and on all of our lives in a way that can’t be described. Everybody in this building has felt his presence and understands the magnitude of what he’s done for this game,” Booker said.
Booker, who grew up idolizing Bryant, has tried to mirror the five-time champion’s competitive approach. During the 2024 Olympic Games, Booker accepted a smaller offensive role to focus on perimeter defense—echoing Bryant’s commitment to guarding the opposition’s top scorer for Team USA in 2008 and 2012.
Bryant’s influence was also evident elsewhere during the weekend. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards captured the All-Star Game MVP award under the event’s new format and expressed a desire to emulate Bryant by collecting more honors in the future. Around the league, emerging stars such as Edwards and San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama are frequently cited for showcasing traits reminiscent of Bryant’s relentless style.
Bryant, who died in January 2020, remains a central figure in basketball’s ongoing evolution. Players, coaches, and fans continue to invoke his work ethic and “Mamba Mentality” as guiding principles, a sentiment Booker reaffirmed during the league’s showcase weekend in Los Angeles.
Source: LakersNation.com
