The Legacy of Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was the heir to Michael Jordan, a scoring assassin who could rip a defender’s heart out by way of a devastating dunk, or an elusive fadeaway jump shot from the baseline, his signature work of art. He won five NBA championships, made 18 All-Star teams, won an MVP award, two scoring titles, two Olympic gold medals and just recently passed by LeBron James on the NBA’s all-time scoring list: Kobe Bryant finished his career with 33,643 points, which put him in fourth place.

Bryant was more than basketball though, everyone who knew him has an incredible story about the way he impacted them outside of the game he loved. And even those who don’t know him personally at least have some idea of who he is and what he did for the game. Everyone who looked up to Bryant wants to be like him and to give 100 percent at everything they do, whether it is in sports or just in life. The way Kobe operated is why so many people were motivated by him and why he impacted so many people lives.

Bryant craved competition and broke down basketball like a scholar; his brain was as elevated as his body. Bryant skipped college to take over the NBA, but after one conversation with him, you just sensed he would have thrived in the classroom, the boardroom or any path he chose.

“Kobe motivated everyone to just be better, he created the ‘Mamba Mentality’ which inspired people to be great and to put 110 percent into everything you do,” said Zach Mowley, who has been a Bryant fan since he was a kid.”

Bryant was a complicated man. He could be ruthless to his underperforming teammates. Critics called him selfish and knocked him for not passing the ball. He embraced his villainy, creating a philosophy he called “The Mamba Mentality.” It was an approach to life that required extreme focus, discipline, and enthusiasm for anything that he was going to take on.

Now, the world can’t fathom that he is gone. In one of the most stunning and tragic losses in the history of sports, Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles on January 26^th, 2020, along with eight others, including his daughter Gianna, 13. Bryant was 41 years old. He is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and three children.

“It is definitely the most tragic day in sports history. Everybody is going to remember where they were when they heard that Kobe Bryant died,” said high school basketball player Kyle Schoeneberg.  

Bryant was the son of Joe “Jelly Bean” Bryant, a former NBA player, and Pam Bryant. Part of Kobe’s childhood was spent in Italy, where his father also played professionally. The family eventually settled outside Philadelphia, where Bryant became a high school phenom. In 1996, in a move that changed basketball forever, Bryant decided to skip college for the NBA. Never had a guard skipped college. But Bryant was that confident in his ability. He taught a generation of players to grab their opportunity and to “get theirs.” In the ensuing years, LeBron James and others decided to forgo college because they saw all the success of Bryant.

Between Bryant’s seventh and eighth season, he was arrested and charged with sexual assault; the criminal case was dropped after his accuser refused to testify in court. A civil case was settled. The whole affair threatened his family and career. But Bryant continued to thrill his fans, and enrage his haters, for another decade-plus.

The Lakers had some down years in the middle of his career. Bryant played alongside teammates like Smush Parker, who he later called “the worst” and who, according to Bryant, “shouldn’t have been in the NBA.” Unfiltered opinion was never one of Bryant’s weaknesses. In 2006, he scored 81 points in a game against the Toronto Raptors. In 2018, Bryant was told by a reporter that Parker was the second leading scorer in that game. “Now you know why I had to score 81,” said Bryant.

Another Lakers renaissance followed: Los Angeles won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010, and Bryant was MVP of both finals’ series. The titles secured Bryant’s place among the game’s legends.

“He’s the GOAT, his will to win and determination to be better than everybody else puts him at the top,” said longtime Lakers fan Alex Mora.

He continued to produce, but injuries plagued the last few years of his career. In November of 2015, he announced his retirement through a letter, “Dear Basketball,” published on The Players Tribune website. The 2015-2016 goodbye season served as a celebration to his basketball greatness. He scored 60 points, on 50 shots, at the Staples Center in the final game of his career. Bryant went full Mamba in arguably the greatest sports send-off of all time.

“I will never forget that game, it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen and I’m not even a Lakers fan,” said Schoeneberg

Bryant and his daughter Gianna were laid to rest on Feb. 7 ahead of a private funeral ceremony on the following Tuesday. Although Bryant may not be here anymore, his legacy will live on forever in the minds and hearts of fans everywhere.