It’s been two weeks since we lost the legendary Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Bryant, and seven others in a helicopter crash. The sports world and everyone else is all grieving from this tragic situation. Kobe meant so much to his family, the ones on and off the court. He was and will always be known as one of the greatest to ever play. He was well respected in and outside of the league. Not only was he a father to four beautiful girls, he meant so much to women’s basketball. He was also a great mentor to a lot of young players. The loss of a great legend.
When you look at the greatest scorer of all-time in the WNBA, Diana Taurasi, you see a person who gets the shot no matter the defense. Taurasi, who grew up in California, was a die-hard Lakers fan and often looked to the basketball champion as an inspiration. Kobe showed us that no matter the size, what matters is knowing and reading your defense before you make your next move. Although he was a great player on the court, he was an even better coach for his Mamba league girls basketball team.
Rest in peace #Mambacita ? ? ?@SLAMonline
— Belly Up WNBA (@WNBAbellyup) January 27, 2020
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His daughter Gigi definitely took after her father. Kobe made it his mission to show her everything he knew about the game of basketball. If you’ve ever seen her play, you know she was destined to be great. Everything from her jumper to the way she handled the ball screamed Kobe. She had dreams and hopes of playing for the UCONN Huskies and the WNBA. As we mourn this tragic loss, we also hurt that she will never be able to live out her dream.
Her love for the game is what got him interested after his retirement and last game in 2016. She was the future of women’s basketball and, “Symbolic of his legacy” Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike said in a recent interview. “Seeing the way Gigi used to watch the game was inspiring. You could tell she shared the same love and passion as her father”. Although we lost one of the greatest players to ever grace the league, his legacy will forever live on. The Mamba Mentality will forever be alive, on and off the court. R.I.P. to all of the lives lost in this tragic event. As he would always say in closing, Mamba Out. The loss of a great legend.
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