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Jerry West on Kobe Bryant’s greatness: It’s about the respect that other players have for you

Related Topics: Jerry West, Kobe Bryant

As the rain pummeled Southern California, the winds whipping, Jerry West sat in his Westside home listening to it all, his thoughts changing as he began to reminisce about the evolution of Kobe Bryant.

The inclement weather on this Monday afternoon put West in a melancholy mood when a reporter called to have him share his thoughts about Bryant‘s statue being unveiled Thursday outside Crypto.com Arena in what West says will be an emotional ceremony.

Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash on Jan.