Former NBA player Dwyane Wade got emotional on social media on Sunday following the news of the death of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant.
Wade, 38, posted several videos on his Instagram page opening up about his loss.
“Today is one of the saddest days in my lifetime,” Wade said.
“It seems like a bad dream that you just want to wake up from. It’s a nightmare.”
Bryant, the retired NBA superstar, was among nine people killed in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles on Sunday. Bryant was 41.
READ MORE: ‘I’m sick right now’ — Shaq posts heartbreaking tribute for Kobe Bryant
Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was also among the victims.
The former Miami Heat player continued, saying Bryant was a great leader and champion, and if you knew him, there wasn’t “anyone better.”
“Emotions are all over the place … these are the moments where you ask why?”
Wade also shared several images of the two together, as well as pictures of Bryant and Gianna.
“My family and I have been sharing Kobe stories,” he said.
READ MORE: Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash near Los Angeles — reports
“We have so many moments that he’s given us and we’re so thankful for those moments … I got a chance to have a relationship, a friendship, and I’m going to miss him.”
Wade said when Bryant retired from basketball in 2016, he left a hole in the game.
“I wanted to be respected by him and once I reached that level I knew I did something,” he said. “Kobe, thank you for all the memories.”
And while the two never played together on the same team, they did share the podium during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Wade and Bryant both played for Team USA, winning gold medals.
Credit: Getty Images
Wade was one of many former and current NBA players who shared a tribute for Bryant on Sunday.
Former teammate and long-time friend Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal posted a heartbreaking post on Twitter.
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NBA legend Michael Jordan also posted an official statement on Sunday, adding Bryant was like a little brother to him.
READ MORE: Celebrities react to Kobe Bryant’s death: ‘My heart is in pieces’
“Words can’t describe the pain I’m feeling,” he said. “We used to talk often, and I will miss those conversations very much.”
Jordan added Bryant was a fierce competitor and one of the “greats of the game.”
“Kobe was also an amazing dad who loved his family deeply — and took great pride in his daughter’s love for the game of basketball.”