I love basketball so much. No, I did not grow up playing ball, I didn't even grow up watching hoops consistently for a long time, not until the 2009 NBA Finals, Lakers vs. Magic specifically, but even then that's not when I fell in love with it. The moment that I fell in love with basketball was the 2010 NBA Finals. I was upstairs in my room and I heard my dad yelling. Now, that was part of the usual program in my house when the game was on (didn't matter if it was an NBA, NFL, NCAA game). So I went downstairs to be nosey and I sat on the floor next to my dad and I watched the Lakers battle the Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Series tied 1-1. And after the game, I looked at my dad and said..."so when is the next game?" and he's looking at me like
"since when do you watch basketball?" and I'm all like I ACTUALLY I WATCHED THE FINALS LAST YEAR SO RELAX, but honestly this is right here is amazing. I showed up for the rest of the series and when we got to Game 7 I was right there, next to my dad yelling. Life is funny like that sometimes. I remember that was a low scoring Game 7 and it really seemed like the Celtics were going to get the dub, but you know Kobe. He goes to the line and sinks two free-throws giving the lakers the lead 68-65 (or something like that). I think Kobe dropped 12 straight in the fourth. I'm standing there looking like this man a demon, straight bullying niggas. It was amazing.
I can't remember exact details from that NBA Finals, but from that point on Kobe was an entity all his own to me. He kind of unnerved me how he relentless he was in wanting to win, in willing his team to execute. It was amazing to watch. 8 or 24... it doesn't matter, different animal, same beast. Naturally, from then on, I had to learn my history of the game so I studied it. I went back and watched hella games on Youtube. Tuned in every national broadcast game, asked my dad about storied college hoops programs...all of that. In a way, its Kobe's doing why I even love basketball in the first place. I know for a fact this is the case for millions of people across the world. Kobe was one of the greatest players ever to play the game. So many players/people looked up to him. Do you know how many iconic moments IN THE SPORT OF BASKETBALL belong to Kobe Bryant? Man... we'll be here all day. He has accomplished so much and people like to say, "he's the closet thing we will ever have to Michael Jordan" that's cool I guess but I prefer "they'll never be another Kobe Bryant better." He may have started out emulating Mike like a lot of hoopers of them do/did but he became his own animal but the end with his own mythos. He meant so much to so many people. It is so hard to articulate the legacy of Kobe Bryant. I can try though.
To many, he was a superhero, immortal even. Kids grew up shouting "Kobe" shotting balled up paper into trashcans, dunking on each other on homemade basketball hoops in the middle of neighborhoods, talking shit, diving into the floor for a loose ball or slashing through the lane, unafraid to go at whoever was in their way. It went beyond people simply emulating a basketball player, kids who had nothing...looked up to him. He helped them feel seen, feel real. Those same kids grew to be some of your favorite athletes...Kyrie Irving, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Lebron James, the list goes on because he continues to inspire a new wave of athletes and people who are just tapping into their inner Mamba now. It's so fucking hard to articulate what this loss means for the world, the day the earth stood still seriously. So many people are hurting and before you say, "oH, aLl oF a SudDen y'AlL KoBE fAns" or "yA'll dOn'T eVeN KNow hIm" shut the hell up. If a person makes a positive impact on someone's life whether they hoop, is/was an athlete, or does anything sports related is irrelevant, people are ALLOWED to grieve. It's called empathy. Kobe was about inspiring people to do their best, work diligently to perfect their craft, and give whatever they're doing 100% with no excuses. It is surreal that Kobe Bryant isn't alive anymore. He was once in a generation. Larger than life it felt like. And we're only talking about basketball.
I haven't even touched on Kobe the father, the husband, the philanthropist, the creative. Its something so beautiful in us watching Kobe grow from this selfish, hard, relentless egomaniac on the court into this father who prioritized raising his family over anything else. He was a dad. One reason this is hurting me so much is that he and Gigi went and studied the game together with him eventually becoming so involved with her and her basketball team he began coaching them. In another life, that's me and my dad. Man, its a lot of girls and their fathers right now. Relationships like that are special and we got to watch them cultivate it for a short while. Oh, and let's not forget Kobe championing for the WNBA, which has been treated as an afterthought for years and is JUST NOW starting to treat its pros with even an ounce of the same respect as their NBA counterparts. No other superstar of his stature is even going to bat for these athletes and its all because of his respect for the game and his love for his daughter. We're seeing all these clips of Kobe being excited for Gigi to carry on the torch, to become the player she was meant to be. It just hurts because we won't get to see that. We saw a glimpse of it.
I feel like this isn't not resonating with a lot of us because Bean wasn't even supposed to go out like that and to make matters worse...Gianna was with him. They were on their way to the Mamba Academy for a game with her teammate Alyssa and her parents, along with four other people, when they passed away. It just makes already unbelievable news about our icon even more heart-shattering. Mambacita and her teammates were only 13/14. They're babies. I don't even want to think about how they all felt up there. How scared they were, I can't. It's all just too much. It's just too much man. Everything feels wrong. There's a glitch in the matrix.
This is all I got as I write with a wet face...Kobe, you changed the game of basketball forever and I feel peaceful knowing you felt your roses while you were here. I wish we could have continued to see how you would continue to dominate off the court in your second act. Gianna, your story was getting started and we are all crying tears for you young legend. Bryant family, my heart is hurting for you but you all are strong. Please allow the world to embrace you all. Take your time. To everyone else who lost their lives, I am sorry, and to their families, my prayers go out to you all as you grieve and rebuild.
Bean
- Devoted Father and Husband
- 5 NBA Champion
- 2 NBA Finals MVP
-1 NBA MVP
- 18-time NBA All-Star
- 4-time NBA All-Star Game MVP
- 11-time All-NBA First Team
- 2-time All-NBA Second Team
- 2-time All-NBA Third Team
- 9-time NBA All-Defensive First Team
- 3-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- 2-time NBA scoring champion
- 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist
- NBA Slam Dunk champion
- NBA All-Rookie Second Team
- Los Angeles Lakers’ all-time leading scorer
- Naismith Prep Player of the Year
- Oscar Winner
- Writer
- Producer
- FUTURE HALL OF FAMER
- the list goes on...
If you would like to read some fantastic pieces on Kobe please read Jemele Hill, Howard Beck, and Woj's thoughts on the legend himself.
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