Minnesota Timberwolves players react to Kobe Bryant’s unexpected passing

On Sunday, Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant passed away in a helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Bryant and eight other people. Many Minnesota Timberwolves players reacted to the news on social media.

The Minnesota Timberwolves were off on Sunday at home, a day before hosting the Sacramento Kings at Target Center.

Around 12 p.m. CT, news broke that all-time NBA great Kobe Bryant passed away in a tragic helicopter crash on Sunday morning in California that claimed the lives of Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, and seven other people.

Timberwolves players, among seemingly everyone else remotely connected to the game of basketball or to Bryant himself, took to social media to express their shock, horror, disbelief, and, ultimately, tributes to one of the best players to ever play in the NBA.

Wolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns began with the same immediate shock that we all felt on Sunday.

Then, a few hours later, a longer tribute on Instagram.

Towns is one of a relatively few Wolves players to have competed against Bryant, who retired following the 2015-16 season.

Robert Covington, one of the team’s veterans, underscored that fact with a post commemorating the only time the two ever went head-to-head.

Here are reactions from a few of the Wolves other veterans.

https://twitter.com/GorguiDieng/status/1221549155111317506

And from the Wolves rookies, Jaylen Nowell and Jarrett Culver.

The Timberwolves organization posted a tribute shortly after the news broke. Check the replies of this tweet for a series of awesome pictures of Kevin Garnett and Kobe embracing, from the early days of their careers to the early 2000’s years that saw the two lock up in the playoffs, to the final years of Garnett’s career, following his return to the Wolves.

The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski documented the Wolves’ tribute to Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, outside Target Center on Monday morning.

Surely, the Wolves will also hold a moment of silence at the start of Monday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings.

Obviously, Bryant’s passing hit many in and around the sport hard. Here at Dunking With Wolves, our thoughts, prayers, and condolences go out to not only the Bryant family, but also the families of the other passengers who passed away on Sunday.

Additionally, we’ll be taking some time over the next few days and weeks to recognize some of Kobe’s more memorable performances against the Wolves over the years.