NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement on the 5-year anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s passing: “Kobe Bryant continues to serve as an inspiration to aspiring and current NBA and WNBA players, young athletes playing at all levels and those who are motivated solely by his relentless pursuit of excellence.

Kobe Bryant may be gone, but his "Mamba Mentality" lives on. Five years after his death, Bryant's legacy continues to grow and inspire.

Five years after the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant, the sports world paid tribute to them.

Somehow, with all that has happened between that awful moment and now, it remains surreal and hard to believe that it was five years ago today that Kobe Bean Bryant, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others,