On January 26, 2020 the world was shocked to learn about the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and eight others in a helicopter crash. One of the souls on board was Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianni. It was one of those events where you remember what you were doing during that exact moment. It certainly stunned the basketball community, and also the sports world in general. Bryant was a legend and also an icon, who impacted the lives of many. He continues to be loved by many, and missed by all. While he may no longer be here physically, his legacy lives on throughout the sports world.
For Kobe.
Bryant played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angles Lakers organization. During his playing career he was able to become the fourth leading scorer in NBA history. In addition to that he also became a five-time champion and won the regular season MVP award in 2008. He is often regarded as the greatest Laker of all-time. Aside from his stacked playing career, Bryant was widely known for his “killer instinct” and approach in life. One of the things that made Bryant so popular was his popular catchphrase “Mamba Mentality,” since his nickname was Black Mamba. The reason for that is because it taught athletes world wide to always be on the prowl when trying to achieve greatness and to never settle. That type of mentality is the reason why Bryant was able to have such a successful playing career. He became a first ballot hall of fame.
Unfortunately, the induction ceremony took place after his unfortunate passing. It’s been two years since the untimely death of a legendary sports icon. His impact and legacy was felt throughout the world when news broke about the helicopter crash. Obviously with something this tragic, people as the questions as to why did this have to happen? Could this have been prevented? The truth of the matter is that nobody knows. The painful truth is that sometimes life doesn’t have an answer. The one thing, however, that fans can continue to do is honor Bryant’s legacy.
Moving Forward
The wound of losing such an iconic person so soon may never heal. However, once again, Bryant’s legacy continues to thrive. Almost nine month after his passing, the Lakers were able to become NBA champions. Even the little things, like his signature shoe line continues to be popular amongst NBA players. According to a poll from last season, two of Bryant’s signature shoes were the top six most worn shoes throughout the 2020-21 season. The Kobe V Protro was the most popular shoe throughout the entire NBA (worn by 62 different players). Whereas, the Kobe VI Protro ranked sixth with 19 different players sporting it. Some players, especially Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns guard), even write personal messages on their gear that Bryant informed them to do. Bryant told Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to win a championship after winning the MVP and he delivered.
Bryant’s messages and legacy continue to thrive to this very day. The wound may never heal, but the important thing for people to do is to keep his legacy and greatness alive. Because he’s smiling and looking down at players like LeBron James, Booker, and Antetokounmpo achieve his missions that he set out for them. Mamba Mentality continues to live on.
