Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 4:02 pm  |  49 responses

Video: Kobe and Magic Eulogize Michael Jackson

While we’re waiting for highlights from summer league (there won’t be any) and a guaranteed Slamadaday on LeBron James (which there will be), we’ve been watching Michael Jackson’s funeral at Staples Center. Have two men ever made such opposite speeches — note the stark contrast been Kobe’s awkward teleprompter reading and Magic’s awkward KFC story. Only in L.A.

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  • http://www.hoopheadsnorth.com San Fran

    LOVED the KFC anecdote – CLASSIC!

  • karan

    i think knowing that michael jackson loved KFC makes me a fan again.

  • http://www.eric32woodyard.wordpress.com Eric Woodyard

    Can Kobe do anything without being hated on? Lol

  • James

    both of their speeches didn’t seem awkward to me at all

  • http://www.kaycephotography.com/ Kevin

    ^

  • Tenorca

    I like how Magic is only wearing Seran Wrap suits these days. He’s going to be blinding people by 2011.

  • Mark

    i was waiting for Kobe to say Michael Jordan by accident

  • Exist4eva

    RIP to the King…Forever to be remembered never to be forgotten

  • http://www.another48minutes.blogspot.com Gerard Himself

    I thought that especially Magic didn’t come over as akward at all. His KFC story was refreshing in an otherwise sad day.

  • http://www.google.com nate the great

    yeah the kfc part was great!!!

  • Mr.2012

    the original MJ lives on 4Ever!!!

  • Blue

    Co-sign Exist4eva…
    I was waiting for the “Magic Johnson Translator” to pop up in the bottom right corner of the screen…

  • http://fashionsensei.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/jackie-moon.jpg Jackie Moon

    They both kept shifting, which made me feel antsy. Stop swaying!

  • Robb

    I love kobe, but he really needs to stop doing those weird thing with his mouth.

  • that dude

    Don’t worry about what Kobe’s doing with his mouth

  • http://www.hoopsvibe.com/spip.php?page=auteurHV&id_auteur=106 chiqo

    kobe could have stayed home, but magic was great. much better than he is on telecasts. if he could replicate what he did here in espn studios, it would be fantastic.

  • http://www.realcavsfans.com Anton

    Hope Kobe dies next.

  • Samcobillybob

    Anton, you’re a moron. Kobe Bryant is greater at everything he does than anything Michael Jackson ever did.

  • The One

    Kobe and Magic received a great honor. Say what you want, hate as much as you want, I didn’t see any other sports stars asked to speak. And the family seemed to appreciate what was said. God Rest Your Soul MJ!

  • Justin

    The hate from Anton is searing. I can feel its power through my screen.

  • Robert

    Why is this such a big deal? Jealous that Lebron wasn’t here instead?

  • Zoran

    haha some of the comment in here made me laugh out loud for real

  • Robert

    No seriously, so what if Kobe was reading a teleprompter. Other speaker sure used it as well; hell, even Obama for every speech he makes uses a teleprompter instead of reading a paper so he can still make a eye contact with the audience. I agree with Eric, Kobe can’t do anything without being hated.

  • http://www.lkz.ch Darksaber

    woah, Anton relax.

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com DP

    Yo kill that noise anton. Of course people will hate because it’s kobe. duh. anyways the people at KFC should be happy. Everybody probably wants a chicken wing now in memory of Mike. play wit it.

  • http://mynameinblue.blogspot.com Hisham

    Hey I’m sorry but you don’t have to be a Kobe hater to see that his little speech was far and away the least touching, charismatic, heartfelt or anything else you’d expect at a memorial. At least try to memorize it, Kobe, damn… Loved Stevie Wonder, Berry Gordy, Magic Johnson, Usher. Brooke Shields also.

  • http://www.lkz.ch Darksaber

    damn, i was this close to tears on multiple occassions. Jennifer Hudson, pregnant and all is an amazing woman. So much charisma! Magic was great, who cares if Kobe spoke in a slightly stunted manner, it’s his damn Arena (kinda), good of him to be there. Brooke Shields (wow, she’s still so pretty) was fantastic. And Trey Lorenz can still sing with the best in r&b (what happened to Mariah’s voice though? Hoarse as heck). And Lionel Ritchie? Dayumm!

  • http://www.lkz.ch Darksaber

    rev. Sharpton sure has only one volume setting, eh? LOUD!

  • larrylegend

    anton is the best, keep it up!

  • http://www.lkz.ch Darksaber

    umm, who the h… Were the people who sang we are the world? (ok the asian girl who samg Cindy Lauper’s part was gorgeous, who she?) but MARIAH, Jennifer Hudson, Trey, Janet, Lionel etc were in the building but they didn’t sing?whattt?

  • http://www.lkz.ch Darksaber

    damn Aunt Janet was so in control. Poor Paris.

  • Tower

    Anton and samcobillybob are both pretty stupid to say what they did. “Hope kobe dies next” what the fu#k is that supposed to mean, and Anton, offcause it’s a matter of personal opinions, but how can you compare a basketball player to a singer/performer and say one of them is better than the other. Stupid aZZ

  • Riggs

    jennifer hudson’s having my kid.

  • JoNaBo

    Give Kobe a break. As I saw it, they had to go up after some emotional moments and they both were on the verge of tears.

  • nicko

    keon clark > kobe bryant

  • Rasheedionics

    Why Michael Jackson kids dont have mother(s)? They werent mentioned or seen?

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com/ RV

    im not hating on Kobe’s words, but i also dont get why he was there…Magic knew Mj on a personal level and went way back with him…was Kobe’s MJ’s favorite player now or what?..

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com/ RV

    darksaber..i think the singers were MJ’s back up singers for what would have been his upcoming tour

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    Anton your a dummy, Slam please bann this cat, he is stupid, his hate on a player wishing him dead is stupid. Theres some dumb cats up here, but man. Anton who is your favorite player and team, and explain to us why you hate Kobe so much. PLEASE HERB!!!

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com Blinguo

    Seed, you hated loudly on MJ and KG in picture posts. Picture posts. That’s not even like screaming at a TV but a magazine/newspaper/photo or the infamous youtube nonsense comments (of which Anton’s joking or not can fit there- as this is a youtube post). Should SLAM ban you for hating too? No. So calm down.

  • Riggs

    the seed should be the last person asking to ban someone else.

  • http://www.lkz.ch Darksaber

    @ RV: thanks for the info, had no clue who they were.

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com DP

    I don’t call it hate anymore. I call it love. hate is the new love. play wit it.

  • http://Egotastic.com Michael

    Apparently Kobe and Shaq used to go to Neverland all the time during their championship years, and Kobe said He And MJ talked a lot about being young stars and handling the spotlight.

    Honestly i flat out cried when his daughter spoke the most heartwrenching moment of the whole thing.

  • Mr.2012

    Ditto^^…..say what you want to say about MJ but people need to understand he was a human too. Appareny a great father as well…R.I.P Michael you’ll be missed.

  • http://www.realcavsfans.com Anton

    i aint explainin nothing to a b!tch ass laker fan
    Rodman > Kobe. play wit it

  • http://sportzin.com Joey E.

    Anton, keep on hating. it’s funnier every time

  • Donn

    what was so awkward about Magic’s story?

  • Samcobillybob

    Good call tower. What I said was true, though. Kobe>anybobybutMICHAELJORDAN

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