Just over a week ago the sports world and the world as a whole lost one of the most legendary basketball players to ever play on the hardwood. Kobe Bean Bryant drafted in 1996 by the Charlotte Hornets, then immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He spent the entirety of his twenty year career with the Lakers in LA.
The franchise with sixteen NBA titles, and five of which Kobe Bryant was the lead of.
Kobe only wanted one thing on the court and that was to be the best to ever lace up a pair of basketball sneakers, and hit the hardwood playing the game. Bryant had love for the team, he grew up watching being a die hard Lakers fan himself growing up. Kobe was an amazing talent on the court winning five NBA Championships. He was an eighteen time All Star and was the MVP of the Finals twice, and he also won Olympic Gold with team USA twice once in 08 and again in 2012.
Kobe Bryant is beloved in the sports world by his friends, his teammates and even people he played against in his career. His greatness will never be forgotten as will he never be forgotten! His death in the fatal helicopter crash in Calabasas, California that claimed both his life and his daughter’s life hit so many around the world so very hard myself included.
How I Became A Lakers Fan
I started watching the NBA just before he won his second NBA title with the Lakers. I remember my brother getting me hooked on pro basketball. He was a Lakers fan and Kobe was his favorite player. I quickly became both a Lakers and Kobe fan my myself.
As he was my favorite player in the whole league to watch and play. I was then a fan for life. To this day rock my Kobe gear proudly. I yell Kobe when I shoot paper wads at the trash can. As a person I live my life trying to be the best version of me I can be that’s something I learned from Kobe.
What’s Next after this Tragedy?
Kobe Bryant wasn’t just a great basketball player he was so much more than that! The man was a husband to a lovely wife and a father of four girls one of which perished with him. He would want us all who are grieving his loss as fans to remember him not just as one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA; but as an amazing father to his kids.
He wanted his girls to know they could do whatever they wanted in life. He pushed for girls sports, especially basketball to become even bigger.
Kobe Bryant Will Be Missed
When the crash happened he was on his way to his daughter’s basketball game. He was the coach of his own daughter’s team. Gionna had dreams of carrying on his legacy and playing college ball at UConn. She was going pro to play in the WNBA. It will now never happen both his life and hers were cut way to short. They will both forever be missed! Rest In Peace Kobe and GiGi Bryant, we all love you both.
1 Comment
I was at home when I heard the news, around 8pm GMT. I’d just sat down on the sofa for a rest and opened the Instagram app to see a photo of Kobe Bryant and something like ‘RIP to the greatest’ from another NBA player. I was a bit confused, but didn’t want to make any assumptions to opened BBC News where the headline was ‘NBA Legend Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash’.
It’s the first time in my life that I’ve been saddened to the brink of tears on hearing of the death of somebody I never met.
When I was younger a family friend got me into basketball. It’s not that big in the UK. At the time Michael Jordan was at his prime and I loved watching Michael play. Then I remember seeing a young kid – who probably looked the same age as me at the time, ~13 – playing for the LA Lakers and that was it, from that moment on I was a Lakers and Kobe fan.
Since my mid-teens he’s been my idol. He was the greatest player ever to me, and really seems to be a good guy away from the game too.