Current, former Chicago athletes react to Kobe Bryant passing

Sunday, we lost an NBA legend in Kobe Bryant, who passed away in a tragic helicopter accident.

Kobe Bryant will prove to be bigger than basketball for years to come. His impact, like other legends, was felt throughout his basketball career both on and off the court.

As a 5-time NBA champion, 18-time All Star, 2-time scoring champion and an MVP, Bryant’s career achievements are cemented in the sport’s rich background and will surely stand the test of time in Los Angeles Lakers history.

There have been countless reactions from Kobe’s former teammates and peers, and here at Da Windy City, we thought it would be appropriate to show just how impactful he was on the entire world of sports.

There is no way we could go through and find every current and former Chicago athlete and their reaction to Kobe Bryant’s passing, but we did find several and thought we should share them with you.

We start out with a current Bull and one of their newest additions, veteran forward Thaddeus Young.

Young has obviously been around for a few years and has had the chance to take the court at the same time as Kobe in the past. For someone who has been in the league as long as Young has, the news hits a bit harder, I’m sure.

One of the league’s best defensive players of all-time, Dennis Rodman, pays his respects to the Mamba as well.

Former Bears running back Jordan Howard is pretty much all of us when we found out the initial report.

"“Man this can’t be real.” (via Howard’s Twitter)"

Current Bears running back Tarik Cohen reacted with a passionate opinion regarding Kobe and his legacy. Obviously, Kobe had a special place in Cohen’s heart.

Recent retiree and former Bears guard Kyle Long with the inspirational reaction to Bryant’s death. I believe this is one of the more appropriate reactions. Kudos, Kyle.

It doesn’t hit much closer than having actually played against the man himself. Zach LaVine, like Long, with a strong, emotional response to the news. LaVine actually had the chance to square off with Bryant back when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester, like many others, with the one word we would all use to describe the moment we found out.

Chicago White Sox catcher James McCann gave us a thoughtful response to Bryant’s death as he talked about how he grew up idolizing the Mamba. Via McCann’s Twitter:

"“From idolizing him as a child to imitating his work ethic, determination, and grit as an athlete, to yelling “KOBE!” every time I took a shot, @kobebryanthad a lasting effect on me despite never having the opportunity to meet him. Prayers go out to the entire Bryant family.”"

Let us end with arguably the most notable and important reaction of them all — Michael Jordan.

"“I am in shock over the tragic news of Kobe’s and Gianna’s passing. Words can’t describe the pain I’m feeling. I loved Kobe – he was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often and I will miss those conversations very much. He was a fierce competitor, one of the greats of the game and a creative force. Kobe was also an amazing dad who loved his family deeply – and took great pride in his daughter’s love for the game of basketball. Yvette joins me in sending my deepest condolences to Vanessa, the Lakers organization and basketball fans around the world.”"

The entire sports world will miss Kobe Bryant, not just basketball. He had an impact on not just sports, but culture and society as a whole. Say what you want about the man, but he proved to be someone who battled through the rough times and clearly loved his family dearly.

May one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball rest in peace.