Grief-stricken fans donned Kobe Bryant T-shirts on Sunday and flocked to Madison Square Garden, which was lit up in the purple and gold of the Los Angeles Lakers to pay tribute to the team’s legendary player.
As the Knicks prepared to take on the Brooklyn Nets inside the arena, mourners snapped photos of the illuminated exterior and an electronic billboard that featured a giant black-and-white image of Bryant facing West 33rd Street.
“It’s so sad. We find it devastating,” said Melanie Kennedy, 46, of New Jersey. “We just saw him in March with his 13-year-old daughter at a UConn basketball game.