Oscars 2020: Spike Lee pays tribute to Kobe Bryant

Filmmaker Spike Lee attends the 92nd Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland in Hollywood, California. Kevork. Pic/AFP

Director Spike Lee paid tribute to late basketball star Kobe Bryant on the red carpet at the 2020 Oscars on Sunday night. The "BlacKkKlansman" director wore a custom purple Gucci suit with gold trim and patches of Bryant's jersey number, 24, stitched on the lapels and on the back of the jacket. The two-button notch lapel Heritage suit was worn with a white shirt and black bow tie, reports Hollywoodreporter.com.

Lee, who won the Oscar for best-adapted screenplay last year and will be a presenter this year, kept his accessories purple as well, with a hat from Baron Hats and a pair of lavender glasses, dressed by "BlacKkKlansman" costume designer Marci Rodgers. He completed the look with orange Nike Kobe 9 Elite Strategy basketball shoes.

"Tribute, honour, homage," Lee said of his suit on the red carpet. "We all miss him. I'm presenting tonight but at the same ... I wanted to represent. I want to do both tonight." Bryant won an Oscar for his short film "Dear Basketball" that bagged the award for the best animated short film.

The ceremony is also set to include a tribute to him and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, who both died in a helicopter crash in January. In addition to being a basketball fan, Lee directed the 2009 documentary "Kobe: Doin' Work", which focused on Bryant's work ethic during one day of the 2007-08 Los Angeles Lakers season.

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