Klukwan residents host 40th day memorial for the late Kobe Bryant

Basketball is a big deal in Alaska. Between all the high school teams, city leagues and regional tournaments, it’s one of the most popular sports. Even though there are no NBA teams in the state, that doesn’t mean there is a shortage of fans. Last week, residents in Klukwan paid their respects to the late Kobe Bryant during an intimate memorial. The event was just one instance of a local family’s devotion to the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Last week, about a dozen people gathered at the Alaska Native Sisterhood hall in Klukwan for a memorial. They set up a buffet of comfort foods, cupcakes and drinks. Some were decked out in purple and yellow Lakers gear. 

The community always holds a memorial 40 days after a family member or close friend has passed away. Klukwan resident Karlie Spud says it’s a tradition in Tlingit culture that marks the end of the grieving period. This one was a little unusual.  

“We’ve never had a celebrity 40-day party that I can remember,” Spud says. 

Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others died in a helicopter crash in late January.  The retired Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard was widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. 

The news of his death hit Spud’s family pretty hard.

“I was just shocked. I actually sent it to our family group chat,” Spud says. “I was like, ‘I don’t believe this, you guys.’ We waited a few minutes out, and it came in waves I guess.”

Spud is a fourth-generation Lakers fan and she grew up watching the team with her family. Her aunt and uncle bought a special T.V. subscription so that they wouldn’t miss any games. It was a big deal for the whole family.  

“We would have birthday parties or gatherings where we’d always have Lakers stuff. We would always watch the Lakers games every Christmas day. My 8th grade promotion with my cousin Shauna and Dakota was actually Laker-themed also,” Spud says.

The Lakers have become a part of the family’s life. They named their goldfish Pau Blake Nash Spud, after Lakers players Pau Gasol, Steve Blake and Steve Nash. They even had a parade in the village after the team won the national championship in 2010.

Even though he wasn’t from Klukwan, holding a memorial for Kobe Bryant seemed like a natural thing to do. 

“I know it wasn’t a community loss, but it was still someone that everybody knew, everybody talked about,” Spud says. “He really influenced a lot of my family. Like my cousin Cody, I think he plays a lot like him. Just his dedication, and maybe it is his jumpshot or something that looks like Kobe’s, but he has the mentality.”

Unfortunately for basketball fans, the NBA announced this week that it would be suspending the season after a player tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. However, Klukwan residents will still be able to cheer on local teams this spring. On Thursday, representatives from the Juneau Lions Club told the Juneau Empire that the regional Gold Medal Basketball tournament will continue as scheduled at the end of the month.  

Although Kobe may be gone, his name will live on in the shouts of players chucking basketballs at the hoop from the three point line—KOBE!