The greatest of all time, legendary, relentless, fearless, dominant; all words that Kobe Bryant–a former basketball star who played for the Los Angeles Lakers–has been described as. On Sunday, January 26, San Luis Obispo High School students and the world were shocked to hear about his sudden death.
Kobe was an inspiration to any athlete, even if they didn’t play basketball, and had an effect on people’s everyday life. He was known for his insane work ethic, competitiveness and overall attitude toward life.
But on Sunday morning, the news revealed that he had died in a helicopter crash in Southern California, along with eight other people, including his 13-year-old daughter. It caught everyone who knew who he was off guard because he was only 41 years old and had been seen at a basketball game less than 15 hours before. Kobe was one of those people who seemed invincible and could never die. The whole day was filled with tributes on social media, as well as at the Staples Center where the Lakers played.
“I mean Kobe was that guy. He was the first basketball player I ever idolized because he was so committed and passionate about the game. His play style and the way he attacked every opponent he went up against is unmatched and that’s the way the game should be played, fearlessly. He is the reason I never give up and the reason I play,” said junior basketball player Seamus Cappellano.
Kobe may have been influential for basketball players but the way he played and worked out helped other sports athletes shape who they are now. There have been so many stories about how Kobe would be putting in more work than anyone else on the team. When he was still in the National Basketball Association (NBA), he would wake up at 4 a.m. to start practicing and work out hours before the rest of the team got there. After his retirement in 2016, he still would wake up early and proceed with his daily activities. This mentality of outworking everyone around him earned the name the Mamba Mentality, which originated from his nickname the Black Mamba.
“Kobe had an impact on me because he always stood up for women’s sports. He is really involved because his daughter plays basketball and wants to go to the University of Connecticut (UCONN), then play in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). He is one of the only professional athletes who have advocated for female sports and I feel extremely grateful for that,” said freshman volleyball, basketball, and track athlete Carys Villani.
Even after Bryant retired, he was still a prominent figure in the sports world. He went from being an athlete to a businessman. He wrote a couple of books, made a short film that won an Oscar, created a sports academy in Thousand Oaks, created a sports drink and made many other business investments since then. Bryant also was a huge advocate for the WNBA and wanted to get more recognition for women’s sports. He has taught many people that life is what you make it. His death is going to have an effect on a lot of people, athletes or not, but the way he lived, can influence how we all live on a daily basis.
This past Monday, a public memorial was held at the Staples Center. It was a life celebration for him and his daughter. There were multiple speeches over the course of the three hours it was happening which include those from his wife Vanessa Bryant, teammate Shaquille O’Neal, opponent Michael Jordan, best friend Rob Pelinka, UCONN women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, family friends Sabrina Ionescu and Diana Taurasi, and Jimmy Kimmel. It was held on February 24 in honor of his jersey number (24) and his daughter’s jersey number (2). Although it was an emotional day, it provided some closure for the world.
