The world yet again witnessed the influence of Kobe Bryant at the historic 2023 US Open. Like every year, the tournament presented a thrilling display of talents. After pulling a spectacular win against Daniil Medvedev, the Serbian player’s tribute to Kobe Bryant impressed fans worldwide. After Kobe’s wife Vanessa Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, his gesture caught the attention of the 2003 NBA champion. We are always awestruck by Novak Djokovic’s gestures. Not surprised, though. 

The athlete shared a great bond with the Lakers legend and was inspired by his Mamba mentality. For his historic 24th win, he pulled out a heartwarming tribute to the basketball star.

Novak Djokovic’s tribute to the Black Mamba is winning hearts

After claiming the 24th Grand Slam title, the athlete went on to present a grand tribute to his inspiration and friend, Kobe Bryant. His gesture was appreciated by former San Antonio Spurs player Stephen Jackson. He shared the picture of the tennis player clad in the blue shirt on his IG story. The shirt had a special number embellished on it.

After the match, Djokovic changed into a blue shirt that featured a picture of him with Kobe on the front and Bryant’s jersey number 24 on the back. As he stood at the center for the audience to get a proper look at the shirt, he pointed his finger toward the picture to dedicate his victory to the 5-time NBA champion. Fans quickly began to take snaps of the moment. Soon, the pictures made their way into every headline and social media. 

Vanessa Bryant & Shaquille O’Neal appreciated Novak Djokovic’s tribute to Kobe Bryant

Impressed by Djokovic’s sweet gesture, Vanessa Bryant shared the moment with her Instagram followers. She captioned the post, “Congratulations @djokernole #24 # MambaMentality” and “Real recognise Real”

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Not only Vanessa Bryant, but Shaquille O’Neal and his youngest son Shaqir O’Neal also highlighted the moment on his social handle. However, the big man of the league had a unique way to congratulate. He thanked the nation Serbia for serving two great athletes who are nicknamed as Joker. Taking to his Instagram, he shared, “Serbia, a country of 6 million people, has the best basketball player AND the best tennis player in the world. And they’re both nicknamed The Joker. That’s crazy.” It is crazy indeed!

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What are your thoughts? Did you like Djoker’s unique way to pay tribute to the legend? Tell us in the comments below.