But those who didn’t get one of the coveted tickets can still see the service.

Watch the memorial service below.

The post The Memorial Service and Celebration of Kobe and Gianna Bryant [Live Stream] appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Fans took over the Staples Center on Sunday afternoon (and well into the night) to remember Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, a budding star in her own right, as well as the other victims of the fatal helicopter crash. To say that the news of Kobe’s death is felt around the world is an understatement; however, no city felt it more then the city of Los Angeles.

My best description of what it was like to be in Los Angeles when the news started coming out is time stopping, and for a few moments, it felt like there was a glitch in the matrix. The day was unusually gloomy, almost as if we we’re about to have heavy rain. There wasn’t a person walking on the street whose head wasn’t glued to their phone, and everyone’s first words were, “did you hear?” We all know what the next words uttered were. Later that evening, you could see people walking up towards the Staples Center from miles away with their number 24 and 8 jerseys. Even with the backdrop of the Grammys happening, there wasn’t much more that mattered in that city Sunday night.

There was a lot of resilience, beauty and unity for everyone who had amassed around the Staples Center. Everyone coped with the news in their own way, some in Silence and some with signs, others with music and smoke. Though we never know why these moments happen, we are thankful for the times we had to watch and see a star like Kobe through our own lenses.

Lastly… condolences to the entire Bryant family as well as the Antobelli, Chester and Mouser families on the loss of your loved ones.

The post Fans Come Out to the Staples Center in Droves to Remember Kobe Bryant appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

RESPECT Magazine and Scoop B Radio’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson. Photo Credit: Bianca Egalite/Scoop B Radio

RESPECT Magazine’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson  chats with Bud & The Manchild on Syracuse, NY’s 1260 AM The Score. Press Play Below To Listen!

A few days before Christmas and it t’was a busy week. Hey, the Chicago Bulls had a winning streak. 10-21 they can possibly make the playoffs.

Why? They play in a weak East!

We’ve got Kobe getting his #8 and #24 jersey retired. If you say you didn’t watch it you’re a liar. Kobe got 5 rings and a regular season MVP before he retired.

Speaking of LA, LaVar Ball’s starting a new league with high school players for hire.

But it didn’t end there! 

Michael Beasley had 32 points and 12 rebounds in the Knicks’ victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday. Credit Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

In 2 big games, Michael Beasley is looking to become the Knicks’ superstar heir!

LeBron and the Cavs play on Christmas Day. They’ve got the Warriors at Oracle Arena and Steph Curry is out the way!

It’ll be wild. Press play above to hear my chat with Syracuse, NY’s Bud and the Manchild!

Oh yeah, Merry Christmas ya filthy animals! 

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The post Scoop B: My Christmas NBA poem featuring LaVar Ball, Chicago Bulls, Kobe, Warriors & Michael Beasley appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The Los Angeles Lakers played inspired basketball on the night of Kobe Bryant’s jerseys (plural) retirement. Chris Carlson/AP

2003 NBA Draft Class member Jarvis Hayes checks in with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Scoop B Radio and talks NBA Draft classes, Kobe and more. Press Play Below To Listen! 

Last night, the Los Angeles Lakers retired Kobe Bryant’s #8 and #24 jersey during a halftime ceremony at Staples Center. Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Bryant is a 5-time NBA champion, 18-time NBA All Star, holds a regular season MVP award, a NBA Slam Dunk Champion and became the youngest player in league history to reach 30,000 career points.

Slam Magazine’s ’96 Draft cover. Photo Credit: Ball Is Life

Bryant also holds the distinction of being drafted in the 1996 NBA Draft, an exclusive club.

Add Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Marcus Camby, Jermaine O’Neal, Antoine Walker, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Peja Stojakovic to that list.

“Kobe was the last one to finish, but you’re starting to see most of the guys finish with Hall of Fame careers,” Shareef Abdur-Rahim, a member of that class told me on Scoop B Radio

The 2003 NBA Draft class was also impressive. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh headlined it.

So who’s draft class is better?

“I think it’s really difficult sometimes to rank eras,” said Abdur-Rahim. “But I guess because I was in the 1996 draft, I rank it the best.”

Jarvis Hayes was drafted tenth by the Washington Wizards in the 2003 NBA Draft. He shares similar sentiments. “Well the book is still being written on my class,” Hayes said on Scoop B Radio.

“So you have to put it up there. But that 1996 draft class was loaded. I think my class is up there, but right now I would give a slight nod to the ’96 class until the rest of the guys from my class finish up their careers.”

The 1984 NBA Draft class was loaded with studs: Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon and John Stockton.

Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Photo Credit: SI

While none of those guys are currently playing, they left impact on the NBA. Charles Barkley is running the TV world Thursday nights on TNT and MJ is majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets.

MJ also still has kids waiting out in the winter cold for Air Jordan sneaker releases.

No doubt ’84 impacted Kobe, Wade, ‘Melo and others.

But hey, Kobe does have a one up! Not even MJ who wore three numbers while a member of the Chicago Bulls ( 12, 23 and 45) has multiple numbers hanging in the rafters at the United Center.

But Bryant does at Staples Center!

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The post Scoop B: With Kobe’s jerseys now retired, can we debate ’96 NBA Draft class vs. 2003 NBA Draft class? appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim dropped by Scoop B Radio. Photo Credit: Image: The Big Lead

Shareef Abdur-Rahim discusses the 1996 NBA Draft class with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson while on Scoop B Radio. Press Play Below to Listen!

Retired NBA All Star Shareef Abdur Rahim had a decent career averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds in 12 NBA seasons. Drafted with the third pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the then-Vancouver Grizzlies, Abdur Rahim was an All NBA Rookie First Teamer.  

There was a glut of talent in that 1996 draft class that includes Hall of Famer, Allen Iverson and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant.

Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Marcus Camby, Jermaine O’Neal, Antoine Walker, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Peja Stojakovic round out that list

Many remember SLAM Magazin’e’s iconic cover with those names.

“Kobe was the last one to finish but you’re starting to see most of the guys finish with Hall of Fame careers,” Shareef Abdur-Rahim told me on Scoop B Radio.

While the ‘96 draft class was electrifying, so was the 1984 draft class that included mainstays like: Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon and John Stockton.

The 2003 NBA Draft class was also impressive. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh headlined it.

Slam Magazine’s ’96 Draft cover. Photo Credit: Ball Is Life

Abdur-Rahim acknowledges that there’s a lot of talent in ’84 and ’03.

But does he have a favorite?

“I think it’s really difficult sometimes to rank eras,” he said. “But I guess because I was in the 1996 draft, I rank it the best.”

Abdur Rahim would suit up for the Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings during his 12 year NBA career.

His best statistical season came during the lockout shortened 1998-99 season where he’d post 23 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1 block per game.

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The post Shareef Abdur-Rahim says he ranks his ‘96 NBA Draft class over 1984 & 2003 NBA Draft classes appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Kendall Marshall and Kobe Bryant. Photo Credit: The Source Magazine

Appearing on Scoop B Radio, former Los Angeles Lakers guard Kendall Marshall chatted with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about his playing career and playing alongside Kobe Bryant. Press Play Below.

Former Lakers guard Kendall Marshall and retired Lakers guard Kobe Bryant both have something in common: they were both selected 13th in their respective draft.

Marshall was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns. He was eventually traded to the Los Angeles Lakers after a stint with the Washington Wizards. While with the Lakers a couple of years back, Marshall became the first Laker to deliver at least 20 points and 15 assists in a game against the Utah Jazz. The last Laker to accomplish that feat was Bryant.

Bryant, the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft out of Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, PA, won five rings with the Lakers and closed his career with a heroic 60-point game againt the Utah Jazz to cap off his career.   

What’s it like to play with the Black Mamba?

“Well for one, you see a superstar and you expect him to be different and standoffish,” Kendall Marshall told me on Scoop B Radio.“But when he’s with the team and on the flights, he’s just one of the guys. That’s something that I can appreciate. I don’t know that there’s a lot of superstars that are like that.”

Kobe Bryant shooting a fadeaway in the NBA Finals. Photo Credit: Interbasket

Although retired, it has been pretty well documented that Bryant is particular on how he prepares for big game matchups. “Being around the team, the coaching staff and the trainers, you hear about his work ethic, you hear stories,” Marshall told me.

“That’s not something that I was familiar with. But to see it or hear it first hand, that’s something that I appreciated. Last but not least, his straightforward approach. He always says what he feels. That’s something that I appreciate. You don’t want somebody to sugarcoat what they’re thinking.”  

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The post Former Lakers guard Kendall Marshall on Playing With Kobe Bryant: “You see a superstar and you expect him to be different and standoffish” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Retired NBA player and father of Kobe Bryant, Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant and sports and entertainment journalist Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson at RISE Indoor Sports Expo in Rockwall, Texas. Photo Credit: The Scoop B Brand

NBA legend, Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant chats with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about his son, Kobe Bryant on Scoop B Radio

Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant may be known as Kobe Bryant’s father, but he also had a career of his own.

From playing with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Houston Rockets from 1975-1983 to coaching the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA to playing overseas in France and Italy, Jellybean is basketball.

Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, right, has a laugh with his father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, prior to participating in a pickup basketball game at the Kobe Bryant Basketball Academy at Loyola Marymount University in Westchester, Calif., on Thursday, July 5, 2007. (AP Photo/Branimir Kvartuc)

Being basketball means he knows talent when he sees it. So I’m curious: What is it really like to raise a child prodigy?

“It’s really the joy of the game,”  Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant told me on Scoop B Radio.

“I think as a parent, you figure he could play as long as he wants, as long as he enjoys the game. I think he made some comments about mentally…he’s fine. He likes the challenge. It’s your body. Your body takes you long to recuperate. That’s the challenge.”

The 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft out of Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, PA, what made Kobe Bryant’s game unique is that it has many skill sets. Kobe grew up watching the greats like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas and Michael Jordan, but his footwork is so strong. Kobe’s father’s was too. Jellybean chatted about what it was like to see Kobe play for as long as he did and retire on his own terms.

? Happy 39th Birthday @kobebryant. This was one of my favorite #Kobe moments. #respect ????? #Lakers

A post shared by ? Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson (@scoop_b) on Aug 23, 2017 at 8:43am PDT

“As a fan, just watching him play and putting up all those points and playing at such a high level at such a great organization like the Lakers. I think that’s probably one of the important things,” he told me.

The fundamentals and doing things the right way is what Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant respects about his son.

“These kids come out of school and they worry about being a number one pick, number two pick, I think it’s more important that you get with the right organization and Kobe was able to do that and as you see, playing with one organization is really something special.”

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The post Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant, father of Kobe Bryant, recounts what it was like watching Black Mamba’s Lakers Career appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.