With less than a second to spare on the shot clock, number 24 evades a steal, and with one fluid motion, he stops midway in the air with a perfect shooting form—KOBEEEE—they shout in the background. The buzzer beats. Eyes glued on the screen, a wave of purple blocked my view. I was fortunate enough to have witnessed a legend in action, although not in the arena, nonetheless it is to the same effect of complete awe. December 2009, Miami Heat vs. Los Angeles Lakers, the day I considered my baptism to the sport.
Kobe Bryant, the Black Mamba, a name that reverberated both on and off the court, was well fit for his unforgettable career. But on January 26, 2020, the NBA legend died in a helicopter crash at the age of 41.
Bryant entered the NBA in 1996 when he was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets as their 13th overall pick, but was then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for veteran Vlade Divac. At the age of 17, he went from high school straight to the NBA.
The rest, as the say, is history.
Since his debut in the 1996 to 1997 NBA season, he solidified his name as an all-star player by leaving a staggering 36,643 regular season points and a 5,640 points in the NBA playoffs, the fourth highest total in NBA history. In a single game against the Toronto Raptors back in 2006, the Black Mamba, with his potent signature fadeaway, dropped a record breaking 81 points and led the Lakers to victory with a 122-104 final score.
The fadeaway, an offensive tool in basketball, combines a high trajectory with the front leg acting as a natural defines barrier. A difficult move, but is flawlessly executed by a great player in the likes of Bryant.
More than his on court wins, Bryant also won the hearts of people. Personally, after watching the 2009 game, I knew I wanted to learn how to play the sport; and perhaps to one day drop at least two points with a classic fadeaway. Fortunately, in high school, I had the opportunity to do so. Equipped with my blue Kobe 8, I played my heart out for four years. Gianna Bryant, six years younger than me, was on the verge of her own greatness and perhaps an even more legendary story than her father ever did. Unfortunately, her story was also cut short when she was one of the nine passengers, including Kobe, aboard the helicopter that crashed in Calabasas, California.
The world lost a loving husband, father, friend, colleague, and basketball icon. We’ll remember all his make-a-wish grants, shared wisdom and utmost generosity. But we also remember, as human as he could be, he faced his own controversies, including a sexual assault case in 2003 and directing an antigay slur at a referee during a game in 2011. This is how we truly honor a great man like him.
As part of the generation that grew up shouting, “Kobe!” whenever attempting to shoot paper waste or anything in the trash bin, thank you, Kobe. We lost a good one too soon, but we know you’re as happy as you could be playing hoops with Gianna up there.
