I remember exactly where I was when I got the breaking news notification. The headline was a whirlwind; not only as a basketball fan, but for anyone following along a major tragedy. As the details of the accident, the carnage, and the remanence began to surface in the coming days; fans, friends, and family of Kobe Bryant alike began to grieve in their own ways. As we come upon one year since the tragedy, many of us are once again reflecting on Kobe Bryant’s legacy. He lives through the NBA today and every day; through passionate fans, teammates, and friends; both current and past.
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Kobe led the core of a championship-caliber Lakers team for years; having a significant impact on every teammate that entered the locker room. Many of his teammates are now coaches, who reflect on their time with Kobe Bryant every day. As an NBA coach, they work every single day to honor his legacy both on and off the court; showing players both young and old how the Mamba Mentality can change their personal and professional lives.
Ty Lue
Ty Lue, the current Clippers head coach, played with Kobe from 1998-2001 as a member of the Lakers for two of the three-peat Championships. Lue began his career with the Lakers; struggling significantly with injuries and, quite frankly, his own mental roadblocks. Kobe, having established himself as a young star in the league, acted as a great partner-in-crime so to speak for Lue. Even after Lue left the Lakers, the two remained incredibly close.
Ty Lue took down his cherished pictures with Kobe Bryant and chose to cope with Kobe’s death by trying to “forget” and bury the pain. A year later, Lue knows he has to put the photos up again. “I got to get over it.. you want to be able to celebrate him.” https://t.co/b7c996V6nx
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) January 24, 2021
Now with the Clippers, Lue finds himself in an interesting situation; coaching two young stars who look to emulate what he and Kobe accomplished years prior. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George often ask questions about Kobe Bryant, and it’s bittersweet for Lue. “Kawhi and PG, they always want to know how Kobe was, what he did, how he worked, how would Kobe react to this? They always ask those questions all the time,” per Lue in a virtual interview with reporters early this season.
“It’s tough sometimes talking about it, but it’s good that those guys respect him and look up to what Kobe has done as a player and as a person and as a businessman. It’s just good to get those guys’ feedback on how he was and who he was as a person.” It’s absolutely incredibly to see the passion Lue had and still has for his former teammate.
Ty Lue’s favorite Kobe Bryant story came in a game of five-on-five between Lakers starters and the bench. #Kobe pic.twitter.com/oG3hovRpmu
— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) February 9, 2016
Steve Nash
One of the greatest rivalries of the era – the Phoenix Suns Nash core versus the LA Lakers Kobe core were considered to be one of the most fun to watch during Kobe’s time in the NBA.
Kobe Bryant’s Lakers vs Steve Nash’s Suns was a great era of NBA basketball pic.twitter.com/AWbSrBIoSf
— Ben Stinar (@BenStinar) October 2, 2020
Often times, individuals don’t realize what kind of empathy they feel for a rival; that kind of passion embodies itself in rage and disdain. Steve Nash was only Kobe Bryant’s teammate for a year at the end of their careers, and he described it as simply crossing paths. He stated that he has struggled to process the loss because he always assumed they would cross paths again; reconcile their emotional time on the court together later in life. Because that opportunity will now never come, Nash has found himself feeling a profoundly different sense of loss than other teammates of Kobe’s time; almost as though he took did not take advantage of the brief time he had.
Luke Walton
Luke Walton, currently serving as Head Coach for the Sacramento Kings, coached his own former LA Lakers from 2016-2019. Walton played with Bryant on the Lakers for the entirety of his career in LA from 2003 to 2012, making Kobe Bryant’s legacy incredibly significant for him. After Kobe’s three-peat, Walton joined the Lakers as Kobe dialed in and led them to championship caliber. Walton was actually coaching the Lakers during Bryant’s retirement ceremonies in LA.
? Luke Walton looks ahead to Kobe Bryant’s retirement night and keeping the focus on the task at hand. pic.twitter.com/84x7cSnHwZ
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 16, 2017
This interview, from 2017, is actually what a coach is supposed to look like during big events and distractions. Keep their team focused and address the goal of the night: winning a game. Particularly during a period in which the Lakers were nothing to scoff at, the Walton coaching tenure, he had a challenge like none other to get them to a winning caliber. He did so remembering his teammate in mind; and it is absolutely stunning to see his change in tone following the stunning loss of his teammate.
“It’s been one of the harder times of my life.”
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) January 27, 2020
Luke Walton mourns the passing of Kobe Bryant. pic.twitter.com/FS06b3W6m0
Carrying on Kobe Bryant’s Legacy
Teammates, players, and coaches alike have a responsibility to carry on the Mamba Mentality and share it with generations to come. Ty Lue, Luke Walton, and Steve Nash are only a few individuals carrying on Kobe Bryant’s legacy through their time with him on the court. Even young guys like Jayson Tatum, now an emerging star has grown exponentially both physically and emotionally because of his training with Kobe. We must look to those who had the opportunity to learn and grow from Kobe to continue teaching his lessons. Thank you to those who tell his stories, who share his mentality, and who keep his memory alive.
Rest in Peace Kobe.
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