A teary Michael Jordan lightens the mood at Kobe Bryant memorial with hilarious new meme joke

Michael Jordan gave a touching speech at Monday's memorial for Kobe and Gianna Bryant.

Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter were on their way to a basketball game when their helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California in January. Kobe, Gianna and seven others died.

Fans and loved ones joined Vanessa, Kobe's wife, at Staples Center to pay tribute to the basketball legend. While Beyoncé gave a moving performance, Michael Jordan gave a touching speech about his "very close friend".

He spoke about the athlete and man Kobe was, and how all his life, he just wanted to be better.

"He was someone who was looking and trying to improve each and every day, not just in sports, but as a parent, as a husband, I am inspired by what he's done and what he shared with Vanessa and what he shared with his kids," the 57-year-old said.

"He wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be and as I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be," he expressed, calling Kobe his little brother. "I got to know that he was trying to be a better person, a better basketball player. We talked about business, we talked about prayer, we talked about everything... he was just trying to be a better person."

Michael then lightened the mood, poking fun at himself. Tears rolling down his face, he said, "Now I'm going to have to look at another crying meme."

The entire stadium erupted in laughter.

"I told my wife I wouldn't do this because I didn't want to see that for the next three or four years, but that's what Kobe does to you. He knows how to get to you in a way that affects you personally.

"Even though he could be a pain in the ass, but he always, you had this sense of love for him in the way that he could bring out the best in you and he did that for me."

WATCH HIS SPEECH HERE:

“Kobe was my dear friend, he was like a little brother,” Michael Jordan said at the memorial service at Staples Center in Los Angeles to the thousands in attendance https://t.co/GUc9M8H1oS pic.twitter.com/fc2ge2o1DM

— TIME (@TIME) February 25, 2020