My Thoughts on Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant

I’ll always remember the day the news broke. I had just finished my homework and I was about to watch the pro bowl until I heard my roommate yell “Kobe is dead!”. The first thing that went through my mind was of course, this has to be fake. TMZ had just broke the news and I’ve never used TMZ as a credible source for news so I thought they had gotten hacked or they were joking. 10 minutes later, I see CNN, ESPN, ABC, and other news outlets put out the story and I couldn't help but sit in disbelief. There was no way Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter accident, especially the day after he tweeted a congratulations to Lebron for passing him on the all time scoring list. I continued to look through twitter and the internet to see if it was fake, but then I see “Gianna Bryant, Kobe’s 13 year old daughter was onboard” and that was the final blow. I could only think about what I would do if I lost my father, my mother, my sister or brother and I couldn’t help but release everything. It hurt that an idol was gone but it hurt when I thought about my family.

Kobe Bryant’s Oscar Winning Short Film, “Dear Basketball”.

Kobe Bryant was a real life super hero. The way he played basketball and the way he carried himself off the court made it seem like he would live forever. He was suppose to get old, see Gianna go to UCONN, see Gianna go to the WNBA, win a few more oscars, and then buy the Lakers. The rest of the day, I sat in my bed and could only say “not Kobe”. From seeing others reactions to seeing pictures and videos of him and his daughter, I couldn’t help but let my emotions flow. I’ve been alive to see the reactions to the deaths of Michael Jackson, Muhammad Ali, Whitney Houston, Prince, and many others, but Kobe Bryant hit me hard. I’ve never met Kobe a day in my life but it felt like I lost a relative. From seeing him win his last championship in 2010 to watching him drop 60 points In his final game, Kobe was apart of my childhood. He was like a God to some people and he was invincible to others. Kobe was never suppose to die and he was always suppose to be here.

The death of Kobe Bryant doesn’t seem right still. It’s been 3 days, and I can’t wrap my head around it. I find myself throughout the day saying “no not Kobe” and I can’t seem to get over it and I doubt I will. We won’t be able to see Mambacita take over UCONN and the WNBA. We won’t see Kobe Courtside anymore, we won’t hear his Hall of Fame Speech, and we won’t be able to see him get old like the other legends. However, if there is any silver lining, it would Kobe Bryant’s affect on the world will last forever. He instilled the Mamba Mentality in all of us. From athletes or people with standard careers, he taught us to grind, work, and give it your all. He gave us the confidence to do anything and we’ll never forget him. The Mamba will live forever and his impact will last forever. Job 13:15, “Though he may slay me, yet will I trust in the Lord” is a bible verse I tattooed on me. I will never question God and I will never question what he does. God has a plan for everyone and though his plan may come with tragedies, his plan will never fail. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Bryant family and the other families affected by this tragic accident. Rest in Peace Kobe and Gianna, you’ll always be here with us.

Dear Basketball,

From the moment

I started rolling my dad’s tube socks And shooting imaginary Game-winning shots In the Great Western Forum I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all —
From my mind & body To my spirit & soul.

As a six-year-old boy, Deeply in love with you, I never saw the end of the tunnel. I only saw myself, Running out of one. 

And so I ran.
I ran up and down every court, After every loose ball for you. You asked for my hustle, I gave you my heart, Because it came with so much more.

I played through the sweat and hurt
Not because challenge called me, But because YOU called me. I did everything for YOU Because that’s what you do When someone makes you feel as Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream
And I’ll always love you for it. But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer. This season is all I have left to give. My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.

And that’s OK.
I’m ready to let you go. I want you to know now So we both can savor every moment we have left together. The good and the bad. We have given each other. All that we have. 

And we both know, no matter what I do next
I’ll always be that kid With the rolled up socks, Garbage can in the corner, :05 seconds on the clock Ball in my hands. 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1

Love you always,
Kobe