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Kobe and Gianna Bryant's memorial service

By Meg Wagner, Veronica Rocha, Mike Hayes and Rachel Bowman, CNN

Updated 0930 GMT (1730 HKT) February 25, 2020

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6:10 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Remembering the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant

Mourners attend the "Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant" service at Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 24, 2020. Frederic J. BROWN / AFP via Getty Images

Mourners gathered at the Staples Center in Los Angeles today to honor the lives of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.

In case you missed it, here are some of the key moments from today's service:

Vanessa Bryant gave an emotional tribute to her husband and daughter. She called her husband the "MVP of girl dads" and shared moments of their love story. When remembering her daughter, Vanessa said Gigi "would have made a huge difference for women's basketball."
Female basketball players promised to uphold Gianna's legacy. Olympic medalist Diana Taurasi and Oregon basketball player Sabrina Ionescu gave speeches honoring Gigi and the influence she would have had on the sport.
Rob Pelinka talked about the last text he got from Kobe. Pelinka, the general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe's former manager and the godfather of Gianna Bryant, shared that the last text message her received from Kobe was asking for help to find a student an internship.
Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera gave performances at the memorial service.
NBA legends Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Jordan gave tearful speeches talking about Kobe's legacy. "When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died," Jordan said. "And as I look in this arena and across the globe, a piece of you died or else you wouldn't be here."
Geno Auriemma remembered Kobe's desire to coach. Auriemma, a coach for the University of Connecticut women's basketball team, talked about Kobe's desire to help pave the way for his daughter's success.

5:03 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Crowds chant "Kobe" outside the Staples Center

Large crowds gathered outside Staples Center and chanted Kobe Bryant's name after his memorial service ended.

They held replicas of his jersey and chanted "Kobe."

Watch the moment:

4:20 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

"It was a way for everyone to ... accept what happened," fan says after Kobe memorial

From CNN's Eric Levenson

Michael Enriquez, from Santa Barbara, California, has been a Kobe Bryant fan all his life and was here for his jersey retirement ceremony. The memorial today, though, was vastly different.

“The jersey retirement was like a celebration for him,” he said. “This is just heartbreaking.”

Still he said it was a great experience to be here: “I’m never gonna forget it,” he said. He brought his son Michael, Jr., who said the event want "cool."

Meanwhile, Dianna Rodriguez, pictured below, said the event gave her a sense of peace — especially because his death was bigger than basketball.

“It was a way for everyone to ... accept what happened and accept his life,” she said. “I needed it for sure. I’ve been a mess the last month.”

Stacey Lopez said Kobe’s wife Vanessa’s speech was the most meaningful. “She speaks to every mother out there, every wife out there,” she said.

Stacey Lopez (left) and Dianna Rodriguez

3:53 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

NBA tweets tribute to Kobe and Gianna moments after memorial ends

The NBA just tweeted out a photo of Kobe and Gianna Bryant with a heart.

Here's the tweet:

3:48 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Crowd chants "Kobe" as memorial service ends

The crowd at the Staples Center erupted with chants of "Kobe" as the memorial service for the late basketball player and his daughter came to an end.

Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" played as a number of people waited in their seats, soaking in the final moments.

Watch the moment:

3:36 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Christina Aguilera performs "Ave Maria"

Christina Aguilera took the stage at Kobe and Gianna Bryant's memorial service to perform "Ave Maria."

The six-time Grammy Award winner received a round of applause.

3:48 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Shaq on the day Kobe "gained my respect"

Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant's teammate and NBA Hall of Famer, talked about his years playing with Bryant on the Lakers, where they won multiple championships together.

"We fought and we bantered back and forth with offhanded remarks, but make no mistakes, and you folks thought we were on bad terms, and when the cameras were turned off we would wink at each other and said, 'let's go whip some ass.'"

Shaq told the Staples Center crowd about the day Kobe "gained my respect."

"Kobe and I always maintained a deep respect and love with one another. The day Kobe gained my respect was when the guys were complaining, and they said, Kobe's not passing the ball. I said I will talk to him. I said, Kobe, there's no "I" in team, and he said, I know, but there's a "Me" in that m**********r."

Shaq said he went back and told his teammates: "Just get the rebound, he's not passing."

3:49 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Jordan: When Kobe passed, "a piece of me died ... a piece of you died"

NBA great Michael Jordan said Kobe Bryant's death had a huge impact on him and the world.

"When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died," Jordan said. "And as I look in this arena and across the globe, a piece of you died or else you wouldn't be here."

He then made a promise to Bryant: "I promise you from this day forward I will live with the memories knowing that I had a little brother that I tried to help in every way I could. Please, rest in peace, little brother."

3:49 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Michael Jordan, with tears in his eyes, jokes about another crying meme

Michael Jordan — who cried as he gave a tribute to Kobe Bryant — joked that there will soon be another crying Jordan meme.

A picture of Jordan crying has been used to ridicule losing teams and their fans.

"We talked about business. We talked about family. We talked about everything. And he was just trying to be a better person," Jordan said of Bryant through tears.

"Now he's got me, and I'll have to look at another crying meme for the next—" he said, but was cut off from audience applause and cheers.

"I told my wife I wasn't going to do this 'cause I didn't want to see that for the next three or four years. But that is what Kobe Bryant does to me."