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Sports world marks fifth anniversary of deaths of Kobe, Gianna Bryant

Sun Jan 26 1:30pm ET
Field Level Media

The Los Angeles Lakers' social media offering on Sunday morning was both delightfully sweet and devastatingly sad.

The sweet part of the post on X was a photo of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant with his arm around Gianna, one of his four daughters and a budding basketball player, as they took in a game together. Their broad smiles said all anyone needed to know about their bond with each other and with the game.

Then reality strikes with the caption: "Always in our hearts."

Sunday marks the fifth anniversary of the death of the Bryants and seven others, killed in a helicopter crash in the hillsides of Calabasas, Calif., as the group made its way to a tournament at Bryant's Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks.


Kobe was 41; Gianna, called Gigi, was 13.

The sports world remembered them on Sunday.

"Forever missed....Never Forgotten," former Lakers teammate Caron Butler posted to Instagram on Sunday along with a photo of the Bryants.

"Thinking of you today and EVERYDAY #Gigi #kobe," another former teammate, Byron Scott, wrote.

After winning his second consecutive Australian Open, Italian Jannik Sinner changed into a pair of official Kobe Bryant shoes for the trophy ceremony.

Kobe Bryant is remembered every day with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where a statue of Kobe and Gianna also is displayed.

And tributes throughout the city and the world have gone up in honor of the Bryants through the Kobe & Gianna Bryant mural project, which has overseen the installation of Bryant-themed murals on buildings, basketball courts and other facilities.

According to Kobemural.com, there are 463 murals in the United States -- 343 of them in Southern California -- plus 183 more in 45-plus countries.

Also killed that day were Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, wife Keri and their daughter, Alyssa; coach Christina Mauser; Sarah Chester and daughter Payton; and the pilot, Ara Zobayan.

Player Notes
Goga Bitadze Sun Jan 26 8:00pm

Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (concussion protocol) is questionable to face the Heat on Monday night. He played only 12 minutes against the 76ers on January 12, exiting prematurely because of a hip injury. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old has been sidelined for Orlando's previous six contests due to concussion-like symptoms. But the questionable designation at least suggests Bitadze is moving in a positive direction, so it appears he has a chance of returning at some point during the Magic's six-game road trip. While he is sidelined, Wendell Carter Jr., averaging 8.7 points and 8.0 rebounds in 25 starts during the 2024-25 campaign, will likely continue to fill the spot in the rotation.

Jalen Suggs Sun Jan 26 7:40pm

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (quadriceps) is questionable for Monday's game against the Miami Heat. The 23-year-old missed 10 games because of a back injury before returning for Saturday's win over the Detroit Pistons. He finished that one with eight points, three assists, and one steal in 16 minutes of action. Unfortunately, Suggs may miss Monday's contest in South Beach because of a left quad contusion. But truth be told, even if he's available, he may see less work than usual. As a result, Anthony Black and Cole Anthony may continue to get more minutes from off the bench. However, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, combining for 44 shots in the matchup with Detroit, will likely pick up most of the slack if Suggs remains limited or is ruled out.

James Harden Sun Jan 26 2:30am

Clippers' G James Harden scored 40 points on 12-of-24 shooting in a 127-117 win over the Bucks on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Damian Lillard Sun Jan 26 2:30am

Bucks' G Damian Lillard recorded a triple-double, finishing with 29 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds in a 117-127 loss to the Clippers on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Amen Thompson Sun Jan 26 2:30am

Houston's G Amen Thompson recorded a triple-double, finishing with 23 points, 10 assists and 14 rebounds in a 135-131 win over Cleveland on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Josh Hart Sun Jan 26 2:30am

New York's F Josh Hart recorded a triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 11 assists and 18 rebounds in a 143-120 win over the Kings on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Domantas Sabonis Sun Jan 26 2:30am

Kings' F Domantas Sabonis recorded a triple-double, finishing with 25 points, 12 assists and 13 rebounds in a 120-143 loss to New York on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Bradley Beal Sat Jan 25 8:20pm

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (ankle) will play on Saturday against the Washington Wizards. Beal has missed three of the last four games, including a trip to Washington, but he has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of Saturday's contest. Although his most recent outing resulted in only five points, Beal has been decent in his new bench role in Phoenix. He has averaged 14.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists as a reserve. Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale will play smaller roles in the rotation with Beal back in the fold.

Anthony Davis Sat Jan 25 8:10pm

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (calf) will play against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, marking his fourth consecutive appearance. Although Davis has missed two games this month, the team typically upgrades him from probable to available before tip-off. The nine-time All-Star aims to start a new double-double streak on Saturday after having a nine-game run end in Thursday's 117-96 victory over the Boston Celtics. Davis averages 23.8 points and 12.8 rebounds for the month.

Brice Sensabaugh Sat Jan 25 8:00pm

Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (ankle) will return from a one-game absence on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. He sprained his right ankle earlier this week but has made a swift recovery. Sensabaugh has been an interesting addition to the Jazz rotation lately, as he has averaged 18.0 points in 24.4 minutes since the calendar was flipped. He appears to be in line for extra usage again in Saturday's game, with John Collins (illness) unavailable.

Santi Aldama Sat Jan 25 8:00pm

Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Santi Aldama (illness) will not suit up for Saturday's tilt against the Utah Jazz. An illness will keep the Spaniard sidelined for a second consecutive game. Memphis also remains without the services of Jake LaRavia (back), opening up additional opportunities on the frontcourt for the likes of Brandon Clarke and GG Jackson II. The two played well off the bench in Friday's 139-126 win over the New Orleans Pelicans and could also make noise against Utah's fragile defense.

Andre Drummond Sat Jan 25 7:50pm

Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (toe) will sit out a second consecutive game on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. Drummond is battling a toe injury and has been in and out of the lineup recently. With Joel Embiid (knee) also on the shelf, Guerschon Yabusele will continue to do the heavy lifting at the center position, with Adem Bona logging time as his backup. Yabusele has averaged 10.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in a starting role this season.

Ja Morant Sat Jan 25 7:50pm

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (illness) will jump back into the lineup for Saturday's clash against the Utah Jazz. An illness kept him sidelined for Friday's matchup versus the New Orleans Pelicans. Morant's shooting form has been shaky all month, but he has posted two double-doubles over his previous three appearances. He is in an excellent spot to deliver a big performance on Saturday, as Utah allows the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing point guard this season.

LeBron James Sat Jan 25 7:40pm

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (foot) is ready to face Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. Earlier in the day, the team downgraded James from probable to questionable, but Lakers head coach JJ Redick has told reporters that he is available for the matchup. James produced a 31-point double-double in his first meeting with the Warriors this season. He's on a run of three consecutive double-doubles leading up to Saturday's contest. The stretch includes James' ninth triple-double of the season.

Ayo Dosunmu Sat Jan 25 7:30pm

Chicago Bulls guard/forward Ayo Dosunmu (calf) will play on Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers. He was initially regarded as questionable for the game before Chicago upgraded Dosunmu to available. The Bulls will continue to be without Coby White (ankle), which means Dosunmu will have an opportunity to contribute more on the offensive end. The 25-year-old averages 12.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists for the season.

De'Aaron Fox Sat Jan 25 7:20pm

Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (thumb) will play on Saturday versus the Knicks. The 27-year-old has missed three games this season. However, he'll avoid a fourth, at least for now. As expected, Fox has played well this season, averaging 25.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. His three-point percentage is down. Still, Fox is usually reliable for fantasy managers, even with a challenging matchup on the horizon.

Josh Hart Sat Jan 25 7:20pm

New York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart (knee) will play in Saturday's matchup against the Sacramento Kings. Hart has been banged up lately, but he remains in the lineup, with the team upgrading him from questionable to available. In the last game against Brooklyn, Hart once again flirted with a triple-double. His scoring numbers have dipped in 2025, but Hart has made up for it in other areas. He is averaging 12.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals for January.

Evan Mobley Sat Jan 25 7:10pm

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (calf) will end a four-game absence on Saturday against the Houston Rockets. He has finally shaken off a calf strain that Mobley sustained a couple of weeks back. Mobley recently put together a four-game double-double streak and is averaging 19.4 points and 9.1 rebounds for the month. His form gets a big test on Saturday, as the Rockets have the second-highest rebounding rate in the league and boast the third-best defensive rating.

Larry Nance Jr. Sat Jan 25 7:10pm

Atlanta Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. (hand) will play on Saturday versus the Raptors. The veteran hasn't played in nearly a month after undergoing surgery on his right hand. Under normal circumstances, Nance doesn't usually see much action. However, with Jalen Johnson (shoulder), De'Andre Hunter (illness), and Zaccharie Risacher (hamstring) sidelined, Nance could be more involved than initially planned. Still, David Roddy, who will likely start, should see plenty of minutes at the four, giving him streaming appeal for fantasy managers.

Caris LeVert Sat Jan 25 7:10pm

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Caris LeVert (wrist) will remain out on Saturday against the Houston Rockets, missing his fourth consecutive game. LeVert is dealing with a wrist sprain and was initially listed as questionable for the game. With LeVert sidelined and Dean Wade (knee) going down in Friday's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, Ty Jerome logged 33 minutes off the Cavaliers bench. He went off for a career-high 33 points on an incredible 8-for-8 three-point shooting. We can expect to see Jerome in a significant role again on Saturday.


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