Kobe Bryant’s passing on Jan. 26 came as a shock to the world. Sunday afternoons everywhere were disrupted as the initial news reports made their way through social media to an audience in denial.
No one was sure if the initial TMZ report of Bryant being involved in a helicopter accident was true. Some dismissed it as a hoax, while others pleaded for the news to be fake or unfounded. Then, confirmation came through television broadcasts and reputable news outlets. On Jan. 26, Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Bryant, and seven others passed away in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
The biggest shock wasn’t the news though. It was the outpour of emotions surrounding the tragedy.
What was the cause of all the emotions though? Was it the five championship rings and two gold medals? Was it his famous “mamba mentality”?
I’d argue it was none of that. The outflow of emotions wasn’t because people simply respected his greatness or tenacity on the court, it was because of Kobe Bryant’s impact.
To put it simply, he began to transcend the sport that he loved so dearly.
Freshman basketball player Drew Bowman said that even though Bryant wasn’t one of his favorite players, he could see his love for basketball.
“Just the way he loved the game is definitely something that impacted me,” Bowman said.
Bowman said he could tell the news of Bryant’s death altered the mood around the basketball team.
Men’s basketball Head Coach Josh Andrews recognized the impact Bryant had on everyone around the game, especially the generation he’s currently coaching here at Taylor.
“Many guys who are the age of our student-athletes would view Kobe as the face of the NBA during their childhood years,” Andrews said. “So many athletes admired the mamba mentality and the ferocious competitive spirit Kobe played with.”
Andrews said they discussed Bryant’s passing as a team, and could tell many of his players were saddened by the news.
Bryant inspired others to dig deeper. His mentality on the court and in the practice facility encouraged those around him to work harder, but also became a symbol of hard work in all areas of life.
That’s why Neymar, a soccer player, dedicated one of his goals in a game to Bryant. That’s why Spike Lee, a movie director, wore a custom suit to the Oscars in honor of Bryant. That’s why basketball courts across the world have been rebranded into tributes to Bryant. That’s why NBA players like Indiana Pacers star Victor Oladipo — who had only ever talked to Bryant a few times — broke down in tears in his first game after Bryant’s death, just because of his impact.
Oladipo repeatedly attributed his clutch game-tying shot in the game to the “mamba mentality,” and dedicated the shot to all the victims of the crash.
Bryant wasn’t perfect though. We can’t dismiss the main stain on his career, which was the 2003 sexual assault case. A look back on his life wouldn’t be telling a true story without mentioning it.
That mistake will forever remain a part of Bryant’s legacy. He was a flawed person. That doesn’t mean we should dismiss his positive impact on so many people.
His impact as a human being and father began to show, especially later in his career and into his few years of retirement
“Kobe was so much more than an athlete, he was a family man.” Bryant’s former teammate Shaquille O’Neal tweeted. “I would hug his children like they were my own and he would embrace my kids like they were his.”
Or take ESPN SportsCenter anchor Elle Duncan’s reflection, for example.
Duncan recalled being eight months pregnant at the time of her initial meeting with Bryant. When Bryant asked Duncan about the baby, Duncan told him she was having a girl. According to Duncan, the news made Bryant happy and when Duncan asked him if he would have more children in the future, Bryant — who had four daughters — said, “I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.” Duncan, telling the story on live TV, became emotional in her retelling of the moment.
The story went viral, and #girldad started trending across social media as proud fathers posted photos with their daughters.
Bryant’s death touched all corners of the world, even here at Taylor. No matter your view on Bryant, his ability to inspire others is something that should come to the forefront of our minds when evaluating the life that he lived.