“Today is one of the saddest days for my life.”

That’s how Dwayne Wade begins a video memorial to his basketball rival and good friend, Kobe Bryant.

“It’s like a bad dream that you just want to wake up from — it’s a nightmare,” Wade said in video montage on his Instagram account replaying their games and moments. “I know we all feel the same way about such a great leader, a great champion, a great person. If you got the chance to know Kobe, got the chance to really know Kobe, ain’t nobody better man. Emotions are all over the place. These are the moments when you ask, ‘Why?'”

As the video roles through the the years — Wade hitting a game-winner over Kobe after Kobe hit one over Wade — the Miami Heat legend speaks of the loss of his friend.

“My heart, thoughts goes out to Kobe’s family, his daughter Gigi,” he said. “It’s a sad day. There’s no way around it. My family and I have been sharing Kobe stories. We have so many moments that he’s given us. We’re so thankful for those moments. I’m thankful for those moments man. He’s one of my favorite players. I got the chance to have a relationship, a friendship, and I’m going to miss him. I’m going to miss the friendship. I’ve said it many times, when Kobe retired from the game of basketball, he left a hole in my wanting to play. When I came in the league, I chased him. That’s who I chased. I wanted to be respected by him. Once I reached that level, I knew I did something.”

The video ends with Wade wiping tears as he talks.

“Kobe, thank you man,” he said. “Thank you for all the memories. We’ve got a lot of good ones. These tears that we’re crying, we’re going to miss you. It’s not going to go. It’s not leaving today, a week from now, a month from now, a year for now. We will forever, forever miss you man. You’re a legend. You’re an icon. You’re a father. You’re a husband. You’re a son. You’re a brother. You’re a friend. Thank you for being my friend. I love you brother.”

2. The Dallas Mavericks have announced plans to never issue No. 24 again. That tells of the depth of loss in the league over this. Has a player on another team ever had his jersey retired at his death? Baseball retired Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 more than four decades after his death. But nothing like this.

3. Let’s not forget the seven other passengers in this helicopter crash. Their lives mattered as much. Their families hurt the same.

4. Some are noting this puts games into perspective. You don’t need tragedy to keep games in perspective. Everyone knows where games rank.

5. It tells how much people were affected that Alicia Keys began the Grammy’s at the Staples Center in Los Angeles saying, “We’re literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built.”