It is that drive that made him more than just a basketball icon, but a global icon.
REMEMBERING KOBE BRYANT AND GIGI FREE
It’s that drive that pushed him to finish taking free throws after tearing his Achilles tendon, simply because he didn’t want to be taken out of the game. It was that drive that helped him score 60-plus points on his final game at Staples Center, the arena that will forever be remembered as the House that Kobe Built. His confidence had only a few rivals, as he was one of the few players in the NBA who, in his prime, could find a shot for himself, even if he had four defenders on him at once. The nickname “Black Mamba” was earned and he was exactly what it implied, a master assassin who could strike with blazing speed and leave multiple defenders in his wake. Kobe had himself and his “Mamba Mentality” and that was all he needed. Not Shaquille O’Neal leaving the Lakers, not Phil Jackson saying he was “uncoachable”, not even former teammates accusing him of being an arrogant and selfish teammate.
Kobe was the young gun on a roster of aging veterans and was hazed at every turn, but it never dampened his drive, his desire to win at all costs.īryant won his first championship in 2000 and proceeded to win the next two, helping the Lakers to three-peat, and make them the last team to do it. He was traded to the Lakers later that night for Vlade Divac. The Charlotte Hornets selected him in the 1996 NBA Draft.
His talent was so great he decided to forgo his college career and jump straight to the pros. Kobe’s Tenacity Defined his Greatness on the Courtīryant began his basketball greatness in high school in the Philadelphia area and was a superstar even in high school. He was recently passed for third by LeBron James Saturday night. Kobe’s 13-year old daughter Gianna Bryant, often referred to as GiGi, and seven others also died in the crash.īryant was a five-time NBA Champion and two-time Finals MVP and finished fourth in the league in all-time points scored. The news was first reported by TMZ Sports and later confirmed by multiple outlets, including ESPN’s Senior NBA Reporter Adrian Wojnarowski. Kobe Bryant, former Los Angeles Laker, died Sunday morning in a helicopter crash outside of Calabasas, Calif. No matter how many tears we shed, no matter how many times we try to refresh our Twitter feeds hoping it isn’t real, Kobe will no longer be here.
Like a terrible dream that we know is a dream and yet no matter how hard we try to wake ourselves from it, we can’t do a damn thing about it. By Joseph Ochoa 3 years ago Two days removed, and it still feels like it’s a nightmare.
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