LeBron James delivers tearful Kobe Bryant speech before Lakers game

LeBron James gives speech in remembrance of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and other people who died in a helicopter crash. [Mirror]

A tearful LeBron James addressed the Staples Center before the Lakers returned to action with a heartfelt speech dedicated to Kobe Bryant.

The NBA legend tragically passed away on Sunday and his former team took to the court for the first time on Friday night.

James took centre stage having already been seen with tears in his eyes as several tributes poured in for Bryant and spoke candidly.

The 35-year-old was set to read a prepared speech but claimed he would be "selling you all short if I read from this s*** so I’m just gonna read from my heart.”

James remembered all nine of the people who died in last week's helicopter crash before heaping praise on the man he is trying to emulate in California.

He said: "The first thing that comes to mind is all about family and as I look around this arena we're all grieving, we're all hurt, we're all heartbroken.

"The best thing you can do in times like these is lean on the shoulders of your family.

"I heard about the Laker Nation last year before I got here about how much of a family it is.

"And that is absolutely what I have seen this week - not only from the players, not only from the coaching staff, not only from the organisation, but from everybody.

"Everybody that is here, this is truly a family and I know that Kobe, Gianni, and Vanessa and everybody thank you from the bottom of their hearts.

"I know at some point we will have a memorial for Kobe, but I look at this as a celebration tonight.

"This is a celebration of the 20 years of blood, sweat, tears, the broken-down body, the countless hours, the determination to be as great as he could be.

"Tonight we celebrate a kid that came here at 18, retired at 38 and became the best Dad we could've seen over the past three years. Tonight is a celebration."