Kyrie Irving remembers Kobe Bryant on the day the late NBA star would have turned 44 years old

Kyrie Irving took to Twitter to remember the late Kobe Bryant Tuesday, on the day the Lakers legend would’ve been 44 years old, joining a chorus of fans who also paid tribute.

Irving, considered one of the best scorers in the league, looked up to Bryant as a mentor, and left a heartwarming message for his ‘big brother’ on the third birthday since his death.   

‘Love you Big brother @kobebryant,’ Irving wrote.

Kyrie Irving paid tribute to his mentor Kobe Bryant on social media on Tuesday afternoon

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant passed away in 2020 after a fatal helicopter crash

‘I love you and miss you so much!’: Vanessa Bryant wished her late husband Kobe Bryant a happy birthday Tuesday, marking the day the late basketball star would have turned 44

‘Happy Solar Return, and [cheers] to you. You and all the angels celebrate up in Paradise!

‘The Black Mamba lives on …..’

Bryant died on January 26, 2020 when a helicopter he was riding along with eight others – including his daughter Gianna – crashed in Calabasas, California.

Bryant and the other passengers were headed to Gianna’s basketball game at his Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California.

Everyone on board died. 

Fans of the five-time NBA champ also flooded social media with kind words, with a tribute from the official NBA Facebook page eliciting fond memories of the all-time great.

‘Miss him so much! A legend taken from this world way too soon,’ one fan said.

Another added: ‘Husband fought cancer for five years before losing his battle. Watching the Lakers and [especially] Kobe was good therapy for him and a great time for us to spend together. Kobe’s fighting spirit remains an inspiration to us all.’

Bryant’s widow Vanessa also commemorated the special day, posting a picture of the pair on Instagram and writing, ‘Happy birthday, baby! I love you and miss you so much! #44 [heart emoji].’

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant will continue to play together after a tumultuous offseason

Irving’s homage to Bryant came not long after the Nets released a statement on behalf of general manager Sean Marks saying Kevin Durant and the team had agreed to ‘move forward with our partnership’ less than two months after he requested a trade from the team.

The latest development in the Durant saga bears a resemblance to Bryant’s trade request in 2007, one which the Lakers ultimately did not grant before he won an MVP in 2008 and two championships between 2009-10.

In a stacked Eastern Conference featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, a young but extremely impressive Celtics team and the well-oiled Heat, Durant has his work cut out for him to replicate the full after-story of Bryant’s trade request.

But with four years left on his contract, he’ll certainly have a shot to do it.