By Stuart Shikano
When I saw RIP Kobe Bryant as the #1 trending topic on Sunday, it was one of the most shocking things I have ever seen. As I saw tons of tweets about it and, I knew it was true. But, it didn’t seem true and it shouldn’t have been true. So, I had that moment where my brain processed the information, but then rejected it, asked what really happened, and why I read what I just read.
I have often wondered what it must have felt like when people got the news of the deaths of icons who were far too young. Bruce Lee died of cerebral edema at age 32 in 1973. John Lennon was shot and killed at age 40 in 1980. Tupac Shakur was shot and killed at age 25 in 1996. The Notorious B.I.G. was shot and killed at age 24 in 1997. As a fan of all of these people, I could not help but wonder how shocking, devastating, and odd it must have been to go from being a fan of that living person to finding out in an instant that they had died. Sadly, I no longer have that curiosity. I wish I did though.
If a famous person is elderly or known to be ill, while it’s sad to read the news of their passing, it’s not shocking. One can process the information and give a tip of the cap to the person for the live they lived. It felt hard to do that Sunday for Kobe Bryant. I was hearing people recap Kobe’s basketball career and what he had done post-playing. It was appropriate to do so, but it felt wrong. I did not think we would be doing this any time soon. Recapping a man’s life should not be done when the man is 41-years-old.
When I first started watching basketball, Kobe Bryant was one of the biggest stars in the league. It was during the Shaq and Kobe era. Kobe was one of a few NBA players that I knew of right from the beginning of my basketball fandom and one of a few NBA players that I consider to be basketball. Guys like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird aren’t just basketball players, but embody the sport itself. One word that always stuck with me in regards to Kobe was the word “respect.” Even as a little kid first watching basketball, I knew of his strong work-ethic and I had a lot of respect for that. I knew he was fun to watch, but I also knew that that was true because of hard work.
Kobe worked his ass off. Hear any teammate, coach, or anyone who worked with him discuss him for any amount of time and they’ll have a story that exemplifies his work ethic. Kobe walked it like he talked it. He was in the gym, he was working on his skills, he was watching tape, he was looking to get a psychological edge. He never let up in his 20-year NBA career. This is all reflected in what he accomplished in his NBA career because he accomplished it all. 5-Time NBA champion, 2-Time NBA Finals MVP, an NBA MVP, 2nd most points in an NBA game (81), 18-Time NBA All-Star, 11-Time All-NBA First Team, 9-Time All-NBA Defensive First Team, 2-Time scoring champion, a Slam Dunk contest winner, a 2-Time Olympic gold medalist, and an eventual first ballot Hall of Famer.
If you want to talk about legacy. The man had 2 numbers retired by the same team — 8 & 24. His run as #8 was an amazing career on its own, as was his run as #24. He absolutely deserved to have BOTH numbers retired. Kobe gave more to the Lakers organization than anyone could have ever expected.
The competitiveness of Kobe is legendary. The ruthlessness, intensity, and drive of Kobe was real. Anyone who competed against him can attest to that. The relentlessness of Kobe is exemplified in stories of Kobe researching how sharks hunt seals in an attempt to get some information on how to guard Allen Iverson or him studying the rulebook to know where exactly on the court referees stand, so he could get away with contact. The comparisons to Michael Jordan are obvious because Jordan was a huge inspiration to Bryant. Both are ruthless competitors, insanely hard workers, incredibly skilled offensive players, great defenders, and guys who expected a lot out of themselves and their teammates. Especially in his early days, Kobe talked like Jordan, his demeanor was like Jordan’s, and his game resembled Jordan’s. As the years went on, Kobe carved out his own identity, but the Jordan DNA was still there.
Kobe’s NBA career lasted 20 years, which means he gave us countless big moments. Although, there are certain ones that fans recall quickly. The 81-point game against Toronto in January 2006. Shaq fouling out in OT in game four of the NBA Finals and Kobe hitting clutch shots to beat Indiana to give the Lakers a 3-1 series lead. Kobe’s buzzer beater against Phoenix in the ’06 playoffs. The pass to Shaq for the alley-oop that became the defining moment of the Lakers’ 15-point, fourth quarter comeback against Portland in game 7 of the Western Conference finals and quite possibly, the defining moment of the Shaq-Kobe era. Then, there’s a moment that’s not even a play. Something that won’t show up anywhere in a box score or play-by-play sequence. When Matt Barnes pretended to throw the ball right in Kobe’s face and Kobe did not flinch AT ALL. It was a legendary moment that seemed to prove that Kobe could never be intimidated. Then there was the Achilles’ game. Kobe had ruptured his Achilles, but remained on the floor to shoot two free throws, and he drained both. He must have been in a tremendous amount of pain, but it wasn’t enough to stop him from hitting two free throws. This was another moment to add to the mythology of Kobe Bryant. Finally, there was the 60-point finale. Kobe had had three injury-plagued seasons following his ruptured Achilles where he saw limited action or just did not look like the Kobe of old. When the time came for his last ever game, NBA fans were excited to watch. What did Kobe do? He gave them a show, just like he always did. As Snoop Dogg, Jay Z, Kanye West, Shaquille O’Neal, and Jack Nicholson watched, Kobe dropped 60 points on the Utah Jazz, and seemed to hit every shot down the stretch. It was thrilling and fun; it was a hell of a way to go out. I had the time of my life watching that game. He then grabbed a microphone, addressed the L.A. crowd, and signed off with, “Mamba out.” This was something that President Barack Obama paid homage to at his last White House Correspondents’ Dinner when he dropped the mic and said, “Obama out.”
The world got to see phases of Kobe. They got to see Kobe evolve. The world saw Kobe go from a kid out of high school getting adjusted to NBA life to an emerging star starring opposite Shaquille O’Neal. They saw him go from a prolific scorer who more than held his own standing next to Shaq to a controversial figure embroiled in a nasty public feud with Shaq. Following his separation from Shaq, Kobe became either an amazing scorer who had no help or a guy who shot too much and didn’t trust his teammates. It depends on your perspective. I say the former. Then the world got to see Kobe go from a fed up guy demanding a trade because he had no help to a guy pleased with the team acquiring Pau Gasol and being back in contention. They saw Kobe go from being a champion again and an immortal figure in NBA, Lakers, and Los Angeles history to an aging legend who had ruptured his Achilles and knew his NBA days were numbered, so he began setting himself up for his post-NBA life.
His post-playing career appeared to be a natural transition. Having time to think more about his post-playing career while recovering from injuries, Kobe seemed to know exactly what he wanted to do after retiring from basketball, and appeared to be at peace with his NBA career coming to a close. Sometimes I hear a retired athlete talk about how they don’t miss the game and I don’t believe them. But, when I heard Kobe say it, I believed him. After leaving the game, Kobe won an Academy Award for a short film he did called, “Dear Basketball.” He authored a #1 New York Times bestseller. He produced content for ESPN like the informative player breakdown show “Detail.” He made smart investments. He was coaching his daughter’s basketball team and was putting everything he had into that. He would discuss the talent and drive of his daughter Gianna and her WNBA prospects. Kobe was doing a lot — he was embarking on numerous creative ventures, financial ventures, and of course, being a dedicated and loving father. He was living a very fulfilling life post-NBA and appeared to be just getting started. Kobe would discuss his ambitions as a storyteller and his many other goals he had going forward; he had a vision and I bet he was going to achieve all of it. Why? Because he’s Kobe Bryant and that seemed to be what he always did.
The impact Kobe Bryant had on athletes as a whole is pretty incredible. It is obvious that basketball players who grew up watching him would be inspired and influenced by him. But a lot of these guys ended up forming a relationship with Kobe. They trained with him, considered him a mentor, and got sage advice from him. Kobe did not have to do this. But, younger players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, Kyrie Irving, Trae Young, and Jayson Tatum not only got inspiration from watching him as they grew up, but also got information and inspiration from him personally. Whether it was through training with him or inspirational texts, their relationship with Kobe got to go deeper. And this is not just the case with NBA players. WNBA players, women’s college basketball players, tennis players, NFL players, and soccer players all got the opportunity to call Kobe a mentor, advisor, and friend. It’s pretty remarkable to see the personal reach Kobe had for athletes in all sports. He did not have to share his wisdom or time with other athletes, but he wanted to, and he made himself available to them.
Personally speaking, I was always eager to listen to or watch a Kobe Bryant interview. It was not only a chance to hear a basketball player I loved watching speak, but it was also an opportunity for me to absorb interesting ideas and pick up new philosophies. Kobe was my favorite athlete to hear speak because he always said things that I felt I could apply to my own life. When Kobe spoke, I was fascinated, and would acquire new ways to view various things in life. I felt like taking notes. I would let his words marinate, and take his words with me. He was a bright and brilliant man. Kobe was just a different type of dude. He thought differently than everyone else.
The bottom line is you can’t tell the story of basketball without discussing Kobe and you can’t appreciate the sport of basketball without appreciating Kobe.
I would like to say on a final note that it is beyond a tragedy that the world lost Kobe’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna as well. To see her life cut short at 13 is unimaginable and devastating. Kobe obviously loved her so much and he also talked about her in such high regard in regards to her as a basketball player. She had that Mamba Mentality that her father had. It would have been amazing to see her continue on her journey. I know Kobe mentioned her playing for UConn down the line; that would have been amazing to watch. Seeing her in the WNBA would have been wonderful. There are no words to describe losing her. For Vanessa to lose her daughter and her husband at once in a horrible helicopter crash is tragic. It’s all very tragic. There’s no making sense of this and there’s no words to describe this devastating event.
Rest in peace, Kobe Bryant.
Rest in peace, Gianna Bryant.
StuartTheWW 