Pinoy fans pay tribute to Kobe Bryant’s legendary career

Filipino fans paid a special tribute to retired NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who visited the country on Saturday for the first time since hanging up his sneakers last April.

Long lines formed outside the SMART-Araneta Coliseum despite the hot and humid weather, and a full house crowd gave the warmest of welcomes to the future Hall of Famer.

Bryant is in Manila to conduct a training camp for selected players as part of the Mamba Mentality Tour, and fans took the opportunity to shower him with adulation after a glorious 20-year career in the NBA.

"I just wanna say thank you so much for inspiring me on this journey," said the five-time champion. "It's crazy. I started playing basketball when I was two years old, and I've never ever in my wildest dreams ever imagined everything that came after."

A sea of light engulfed the dimmed coliseum as fans flashed the lights on their phone as a salute to the 37-year-old Bryant, a former Most Valuable Player and the third leading scorer in the NBA.

The Black Mamba was surprised with a painted tarpaulin of an iconic still from his "The Conductor" Nike commercial, which was already hanging from the rafters of the coliseum.

"Thank you so much. I'm deeply honored by that. I'm speechless about it," said a visibly touched Bryant. "I love you. I will see you soon."

Fans cheered loudly as Bryant, who came to Manila for the fifth time, hinted more visits to probably the most basketball crazy country in whole of Asia.

"I retired professionally as a basketball player but I have not retired of coming to Manila," he said. "The Black Mamba is now retired, but now I've passed that on to all of you, to be Mambas in your own right."

"The Mamba Mentality lives on." — LBG, GMA News