The city of Los Angeles will mourn Lakers star Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, at a public memorial on Monday.
Thousands are expected to pack the Staples Center — where Bryant played hundreds of games for the Lakers — in what has been described as a "celebration of life."
Earlier this month, Bryant's wife Vanessa shared that the event of the date — Feb. 24, 2020 — held special meaning for the family. Bryant wore No. 24 for much of his career with the Lakers, while Gianna — a budding basketball talent of her own — wore No. 2. In addition, Vanessa and Kobe Bryant were married for 20 years.
Watch the memorial live in the player below when the ceremony begins at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.
A limited number of tickets were sold to the general public, with prices ranging from $24.02 to $224 — a further tribute to Kobe's and Gianna's numbers. Tickets quickly sold out, and according to CNN, ticket proceeds went towards the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.
Monday won't be the first time the Staples Center has hosted a celebrity memorial. In 2009, the arena hosted a large memorial for Michael Jackson, and Los Angeles-based rapper Nipsey Hussle was memorialized at Staples Center last April.
Following Bryant's memorial, the Los Angeles Clipper will host the Memphis Grizzlies in a regularly-scheduled NBA game Monday evening.
Bryant, 41, and Gianna, 13, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Southern California on Jan. 26. The two were buried in a private funeral near the family's Orange County home on Feb. 7.
Watch Bryant's memorial live here when it begins at 1 p.m. ET.
