Michael Jordan delivered a powerful speech honoring Kobe Bryant at a public event on Monday celebrating the lives of the late Laker, his daughter Gianna, and the seven others who died in a tragic helicopter crash last month.

But Jordan — who sobbed as he spoke about his friend he called a "little brother"— also delivered a bit of levity by joking about the "Crying Jordan" meme that became a viral sensation online in the last decade.

"Now [Kobe's] got me — I'm going to have to look at another crying meme for the next..." Jordan joked as the crowd erupted in cheers and laughter.

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SEE ALSO:LeBron James, L.A. Lakers pay tribute to Kobe and Gianna Bryant

"I told my wife I wasn't going to do this because I didn't want to see that for the next 3 or 4 years," Jordan said. "That is what Kobe Bryant does to me."

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Jordan famously wept during an infamous 2009 Hall of Fame induction speech. From there "Crying Jordan" became one of the internet's most popular memes, his tear-soaked face jokingly inserted into countless situations.

Jordan's speech about Bryant at Los Angeles' Staples Center on Monday was heartfelt, touching and widely praised.

"He was like a little brother ... and I just wanted to be the best big brother I could be," Jordan said.

Bryant idolized Jordan and famously modeled the way he played basketball after the former Chicago Bull, widely considered the greatest of all time.

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"When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died," Jordan said through tears toward the end of his speech.