NBA teams take to court and pay tribute to basketball idol Kobe Bryant with moments of silence, special gear, and letting the shot clock run out

• A moment of silence at the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets game on Sunday honored NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
• Anthony Leon "P. J." Tucker Jr., who plays for the Rockets, wrote a tribute to Bryant on his shoes.
• Trae Young, of the Atlanta Hawks, wore a No. 8 jersey in Bryant's honor during a Sunday night game against the Washington Wizards.
• Former Vice President Joe Biden learned of Bryant's sudden death at an Iowa campaign event and said that it's a reminder to make "every single day count."
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The news of basketball icon Kobe Bryant's death on Sunday sent shockwaves across the country, with reactions pouring in on social media. Although NBA games continued as scheduled, athletes and politicians alike paid tribute to Bryant 41, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.

The Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets game went on as planned on Sunday afternoon, the Nuggets held a moment of silence for Bryant, who spent 20 years as a Los Angeles Laker.  It was followed by Nuggets fans chanting Bryant's name at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.

Tyson Chandler, who plays for the Rockets, sat on a bench shaking his head in apparent disbelief. Nearby, his teammate, Anthony Leon "P. J." Tucker Jr., wrote a message to Bryant on his shoes, which read, "RIP KB Love you KB24." 

Tucker and Rockets guard, Austin Rivers, were in tears as they honored Bryant before the game, Mike Leslie, a reporter at WFAA in Dallas, Texas, tweeted. 

Bryant was an 18-time NBA All-Star and his remarkable contributions to basketball were also recognized at a Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs game. Players let the 24-second shot clock run out in memory of Bryant's number.

Bryant began his illustrious tenure with the Lakers as No. 8 and switched to No. 24 — to mark the first number he wore while playing basketball in high school — at the start in the 2006-07 season, the Washington Post reported. Both numbers have since been retired.

Trae Young, of the Atlanta Hawks, wore a No. 8 jersey in Bryant's honor during a Sunday night game against the Washington Wizards, ESPN SportsCenter tweeted. Young, a point guard, usually wears No. 11.

Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden, who is campaigning in Des Moines ahead of the Iowa caucus, also held a moment of silence for Bryant.

News of Bryant's death prompted audible gasps from rally attendees, according to local reports. Biden said he didn't know Bryant very well, having only met him a few times, but said the news of his untimely death underscored that "you gotta make every day count. Every single solid day, every single day count," videos from the scene show. 

• Bryant's daughter Gianna "Gigi" Bryant, 13, was among the nine people who died in the tragic accident. 
• Read more:
• Kobe Bryant, 41, dies in helicopter crash in Calabasas, California
• NBA games will not be canceled after basketball icon Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in California
• Kobe Bryant's daughter Gianna 'Gigi' Bryant also died in the tragic helicopter accident that killed her father, according to reports
• Kobe Bryant's last tweet before he died was to congratulate LeBron James on surpassing him for the NBA all-time scoring list
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