Terry Davis, former NBA player and father of NBA’s Ed Davis, shares memories of Kobe Bryant

Terry Davis, a former NBA player and father of Utah Jazz center Ed Davis, spoke with 8News about the legacy of Kobe Bryant, who was killed Sunday in a helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight others. While Terry Davis never played with Bryant, he said he got to know him while his son was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2014-2015 season.

Davis, a Virginia native who played at Virginia Union, shared the impact Bryant made on his family.

“I was just really grateful to have the opportunity to be on the same floor with Kobe because he was one of the most amazing talents to ever come into the NBA,” T. Davis said. “It’s really been sad for us as a basketball family all of my colleagues have been calling. We’re still in a state of shock.”

Davis, who played with four NBA teams from 1989 until he retired in 2001, said players on other teams heard about Kobe as a “gym rat.”

“He was relentless,” Davis said of Kobe. “Just wanted to go after everybody, compete after everybody.”

Terry told 8News on Tuesday that his son Ed was first recruited by Kobe’s agent with the Lakers.

“We were excited to be a part of that family and be a part of Kobe,” T. Davis said. “I was so excited for my son to get out there to be with Kobe because I knew the mentorship, what Kobe would do for his career, and for his on and off the basketball court maturity.”

The Davis family sent their love to the Bryant family and the other families impacted by Sunday’s tragedy.

“We see it. It has given him five more years after he left LA with Kobe and he’s now in his 10th year in his career and we give that credit to Kobe,” T. Davis told 8News.

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