Wildcats honor Kobe Bryant with special warm up shirts

The+Kentucky+mens+basketball+team+honor+Kobe+Bryant+with+special+warm+up+shirts+before+the+Vanderbilt+game+on+Wednesday%2C+Jan.+29%2C+2020.+%7C+Michael+Clubb+%7C+Staff

The Kentucky men’s basketball team honor Kobe Bryant with special warm up shirts before the Vanderbilt game on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. | Michael Clubb | Staff

Kernel sports staff

The Kentucky Wildcats are honoring the late NBA and Laker legend Kobe Bryant against Vanderbilt in Rupp Arena Wednesday night. 

The players all have a special warm up shirt with Kobe’s logo on the front and numbers 24 and 8 on the back, along with several of the players wearing custom Kobe’s on their feet for the game. 

“My first time ever playing basketball, I played for the Lakers,” Kentucky sophomore guard Ashton Hagans said. “He just had a big impact on a lot of guys, the way he fought. He wasn’t backing down from (anything). He was a hard worker. He got this game started. After MJ (Michael Jordan) left, he stepped in, had a big platform.”

Several of the women’s basketball players also wore their favorite Kobe’s when they played Auburn on Monday night, the day after his passing.

The Cats tip off at 6:30 on SEC Network against the Commodores.