Djokovic Honors Kobe Bryant With ‘Mamba Forever’ Shirt

Moments after Novak Djokovic gained the U.S. Open males’s singles remaining on Sunday evening, he pulled a T-shirt out his bag and put it on.

The shirt mentioned “Mamba Forever” and had a picture of Djokovic along with Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers star who died in a helicopter crash in 2020 with one in all his daughters and 7 others.

Across the again, the shirt additionally had a No. 24, which Bryant used for 10 seasons with the Lakers (he additionally used No. 8 for 10 seasons).

Djokovic mentioned in an interview on the court docket in the course of the trophy ceremony that the concept for the tribute got here as he realized his twenty fourth Grand Slam singles title was inside attain, giving him an opportunity to attach with a significant quantity from Bryant’s profession.

“I thought 24 is the jersey that he wore when he became a legend of Lakers and world basketball,” Djokovic mentioned. “So I thought it would be a nice symbolic thing to acknowledge him.”

Djokovic added that he had a detailed relationship with Bryant and infrequently sought the basketball star’s recommendation, particularly as he tried to get well from accidents.

Many athletes have praised Bryant over time for his relentless drive, nicknamed the Mamba Mentality, which he confirmed repeatedly as he pursued N.B.A. championships (he gained 5) and tried to point out himself to be the most effective participant on the court docket.

“We chatted a lot about the winner’s mentality,” Djokovic mentioned. “He was one of the people that I relied on the most. He was always there for any kind of counsel, advice, any kind of support in a most friendly way.”

Djokovic’s shirt will not be the primary ode to Bryant from a U.S. Open winner. When Naomi Osaka gained the event in 2020, defeating Victoria Azarenka, she returned to the court docket after her match to pose for an image together with her trophy sporting a No. 8 Bryant jersey.

“I wore this jersey every day after my matches,” Osaka mentioned on Instagram. “I truly think it gave me strength. Always.”