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Jennifer Hudson and Dr Dre pay touching tribute to Kobe Bryant at NBA All-Star Game

AP
AP

Jennifer Hudson, Dr Dre and Magic Johnson led the tributes to late basketball great Kobe Bryant at the 69th NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night.

Los Angeles Lakers icon Bryant - an 18-time All-Star, four-time All-Star Game MVP and 1997 Slam Dunk Contest champion during his illustrious career - died last month along with 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.

Before the All-Star game began at United Center in Chicago, Academy Award-winning singer and actress Hudson performed an emotional rendition of popular 1934 song "For All We Know" - previously recorded by the likes of Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday and Nat King Cole - as a montage of Bryant pictures flashed in the background.

That stirring performance was preceded by a tribute from Lakers legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who spoke touchingly of the losses of Bryant and former NBA commissioner David Stern before leading an eight-second silence in reference to one of two jersey numbers worn by Kobe during his 20 years as a Laker and later retired.

Fans were also wowed by a stunning video tribute from rapper and producer Dr Dre, which featured the best moments of Bryant's memorable career.

There were other notable nods to Bryant during the All-Star Game, with Team Giannis [Antetokounmpo] all wearing no24 - the other number worn by Bryant as a Laker - and Team LeBron [James] donning no2 in tribute to Gianna.

Magic Johnson also paid tribute to Kobe Bryant and late former NBA commissioner David Stern (AP)
Magic Johnson also paid tribute to Kobe Bryant and late former NBA commissioner David Stern (AP)

LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard won the All-Star MVP award that was recently renamed in honour of Bryant after a 30-point outing for Team LeBron, who triumphed 157-155 thanks to a last-gasp free throw from current Laker and Chicago native Anthony Davis.

This year's contest featured a revamped format - including a target score in the fourth quarter that was also in tribute to Bryant - that has been widely praised for improving the intensity and level of competition in the annual exhibition spectacle.