Kobe Bryant’s Close Friends Recall Painful Emotions After His 2020 Death in New Docuseries: ‘I Cried All Day, All Night'

Mar. 15, 2025

Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball upcourt during the game against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on December 28, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.Photo:Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty

Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty

Kobe Bryant’s close friends are opening up about the painful emotions they experienced after his tragic death in 2020.In CNN’s new three-episode documentary series,Kobe: The Making of a Legend,close friends sat down to recount the moment they learned of the deadly helicopter crash on Jan. 26 that claimed the lives of Kobe, his daughterGianna Bryantand seven others.“I went numb,” recalled Elissa Grabow, a former assistant of Kobe’s, who said she immediately calledTracy McGrady, a former NBA player and close friend of Kobe’s. “He was crying. He said, ‘I can’t talk,’ " Grabow remembered.McGrady, 45, said, “I cried all day, all night,” after he heard the news. “I couldn’t believe it…not Kob…not Kobe.“Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball upcourt during the game against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on December 28, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty“I think the world actually stood still for a moment,” said Grabow.Sports journalist Scoop Jackson gave an emotional interview in the documentary, recalling how difficult it was to tell his kids that their hero had tragically died.“Kobe had a very, very, very special relationship with my kids,” said Jackson. “The thing that got me, that was hardest for me, was telling them. Yeah, I’ve done some hard s— in my life but that was one of the most difficult ones.“Gianna and Kobe Bryant mural outside of the Hardcore Fitness L.A. on Grand Ave.Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via GettySheryl Swoopes, a former WNBA MVP, said she “immediately thought of Vanessa” once she heard the news. “Because as a parent, and as a wife, but as a parent, you never think you’re going to lose your child.“Gary Vitti, the former head of athletics for the Los Angeles Lakers while Kobe played for the team, emotionally said, “I was never supposed to outlive Kobe Bryant, that wasn’t the plan,” in his interview for the documentary.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Vitti said he “watched him grow up” and that Kobe “watched me grow old, and then he was going to watch me go into the next life.““I wasn’t going to see him do that, and his daughter,” Vitti continued. “That thing about ‘time heals all wounds’ that’s not true. They don’t heal.“Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant attends the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks on December 29, 2019.Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/GettyThe third episode of CNN’s documentary also includes footage of interviews with fans paying tribute to the NBA all-star in Downtown Los Angeles in the days after his death. “This just feels so personal,” one emotional fan said.Kobe and Gianna were tragically killed on Jan. 26, 2020 in a helicopter crash with seven others. The group was flying from John Wayne Airport in Orange County to a basketball tournament at Kobe’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks.At the time, Kobe was four years into retirement after winning five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers over a 20-year NBA career.Episode 1 ofKobe: The Making of a Legendwill premiere Jan. 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and will be available to stream on demand to CNN subscribers on Jan. 26. The next two episodes will air on Feb. 1 and 8.

Kobe Bryant’s close friends are opening up about the painful emotions they experienced after his tragic death in 2020.

In CNN’s new three-episode documentary series,Kobe: The Making of a Legend,close friends sat down to recount the moment they learned of the deadly helicopter crash on Jan. 26 that claimed the lives of Kobe, his daughterGianna Bryantand seven others.

“I went numb,” recalled Elissa Grabow, a former assistant of Kobe’s, who said she immediately calledTracy McGrady, a former NBA player and close friend of Kobe’s. “He was crying. He said, ‘I can’t talk,’ " Grabow remembered.

McGrady, 45, said, “I cried all day, all night,” after he heard the news. “I couldn’t believe it…not Kob…not Kobe.”

Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball upcourt during the game against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on December 28, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty

“I think the world actually stood still for a moment,” said Grabow.

Sports journalist Scoop Jackson gave an emotional interview in the documentary, recalling how difficult it was to tell his kids that their hero had tragically died.

“Kobe had a very, very, very special relationship with my kids,” said Jackson. “The thing that got me, that was hardest for me, was telling them. Yeah, I’ve done some hard s— in my life but that was one of the most difficult ones.”

Gianna and Kobe Bryant mural outside of the Hardcore Fitness L.A. on Grand Ave.Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty

Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty

Sheryl Swoopes, a former WNBA MVP, said she “immediately thought of Vanessa” once she heard the news. “Because as a parent, and as a wife, but as a parent, you never think you’re going to lose your child.”

Gary Vitti, the former head of athletics for the Los Angeles Lakers while Kobe played for the team, emotionally said, “I was never supposed to outlive Kobe Bryant, that wasn’t the plan,” in his interview for the documentary.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Vitti said he “watched him grow up” and that Kobe “watched me grow old, and then he was going to watch me go into the next life.”

“I wasn’t going to see him do that, and his daughter,” Vitti continued. “That thing about ‘time heals all wounds’ that’s not true. They don’t heal.”

Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant attends the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks on December 29, 2019.Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty

The third episode of CNN’s documentary also includes footage of interviews with fans paying tribute to the NBA all-star in Downtown Los Angeles in the days after his death. “This just feels so personal,” one emotional fan said.

Kobe and Gianna were tragically killed on Jan. 26, 2020 in a helicopter crash with seven others. The group was flying from John Wayne Airport in Orange County to a basketball tournament at Kobe’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks.

At the time, Kobe was four years into retirement after winning five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers over a 20-year NBA career.

Episode 1 ofKobe: The Making of a Legendwill premiere Jan. 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and will be available to stream on demand to CNN subscribers on Jan. 26. The next two episodes will air on Feb. 1 and 8.

source: people.com