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WATCH: Current and former UConn women’s basketball players reflect on Kobe Bryant’s life

The basketball legend was a mainstay in the stands for many WNBA and UConn games.

Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog

On Monday, UConn women’s basketball and the US national team joined the basketball world in mourning the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others after the helicopter they were all riding in crashed in California on Sunday.

Before the game, the players from both teams gathered at center court during a 24-second moment of silence (in honor of Bryant’s jersey number, No. 24) while the XL Center was draped in purple light.

On UConn’s bench, it placed a No. 2 jersey on a chair along with flowers in honor of Gianna, who dreamed of playing for the Huskies one day.

Once the game began, Team USA won the tip and held the ball for an eight-second backcourt violation while UConn reciprocated with a 24-second shot clock violation.

After the final buzzer sounded, Geno Auriemma and members of both teams reflected on the life and legacy of Kobe: