I still remember it vividly, January 26th. My parents entering the house and my dad walking downstairs to the basement. It was a regular day, nothing seemed out of place. In fact, it was a pretty good day. For a year with, already, raging bushfires in Australia and rumours of World War 3, 2020 seemed to finally be levelling out. What could possibly go wrong?
My dad rushed back to me with his phone in his hand, “Kobe Bryant died!” I reacted the way I react to most intense situations: neutral face, maybe some small expressions on the outside, but internally, my emotions are very evident. I acknowledged the news, didn’t stay to discuss much and just went on my way. I sat in my room, scrolled through Google, Reddit, YouTube, reading articles and comments, and watching people’s initial reactions. I wasn’t hungry, but I could physically feel my lack of hunger. Everything became dull and it felt like the world stopped.
Kobe Bryant was gone. Kobe Bryant was not supposed to be gone. To be clear, nobody should die at such a young age or so tragically, but Kobe Bryant was supposed to be invincible. Everyone wanted to be Kobe, the same way Kobe would emulate Michael Jordan. You would yell “Kobe!” if you threw something in the trash, if you were playing basketball with your friends, or even if you were alone and counting down from 5; pretending to hit a buzzer beater. Hell, I’d even argue the number “24” reminds me more of Kobe than it does the amount of hours in a day.
Unfinished Business
Kobe was so much more than just one of the greatest players in NBA history, which is a lifetime achievement in itself. Although he confidently walked away from the game, ready to move forward with a myriad of unrelated projects, Kobe would continue to eat, sleep and breathe basketball with his ESPN+ Detail series and his continuous mentoring of younger players including Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, Sabrina Ionescu, and of course, his late daughter, Gianna. In addition to his mentorship, Kobe was also an outspoken supporter of the WNBA and it’s athletes (Ionescu was ultimately drafted 1st overall in 2020).
From his podcasts, books and, I’m assuming, more Oscar-worthy short films, Kobe had so much more to give to this world. He was truly someone that never gave up and continued to chase his dreams regardless of the obstacles in front of him.
Mamba Mentality
Mamba Mentality is all about focusing on the process and trusting in the hard work when it matters most. It’s the ultimate mantra for the competitive spirit. It started just as a hashtag that came to me one day, and it’s grown into something athletes – and even non-athletes – embrace as a mindset.
— Kobe Bryant via AmazonBookReview
Any fan of the NBA has heard this term. ‘The Black Mamba’ was a highly regarded nickname on the court, but ‘Mamba Mentality’ was damn near a way of life. To me, this is the legacy Kobe left. It’s almost as if he still lives on in so many players today, from the footwork of a DeMar DeRozan, to the scoring prowess of a Devin Booker or Kyrie Irving, to the killer instinct of a Damian Lillard, and the intensity of a Russell Westbrook.
However, I think it goes beyond basketball. I think Kobe also lives on through his admirers off the court. For instance, I wasn’t a die-hard fan of Kobe as a player, but post-retirement, I consumed so much motivational/business-related Kobe content, I had developed a newfound appreciation for him.
The impact Kobe had on me is almost exclusively from things he’s said in interviews. He was extremely well spoken and always seemed to have advice that came off as motivational instead of pretentious or too demanding of its audience. He somehow portrayed his life as both the pinnacle of greatness and as a seemingly achievable feat through hard work. His mindset was the textbook definition of “inspirational.”
One of my favourite quotes by him was:
“What I’ve learned is to always keep going, always… What I’ve come to find out is that no matter what happens, the storm eventually ends, and when the storm does end, you want to make sure that you’re ready. So, I’ve really learned to put one foot in front of the other, good, bad, or indifferent, because eventually that storm passes.”
It really encapsulates his determination to succeed. Now, not all of us (myself included), are as eerily obsessed with winning as Kobe was, and I know that mindset is not something we’re all inherently blessed with. Kobe was, to some extent, an anomaly. However, as someone who has struggled with their mental health nearly all my life, it’s really inspiring to hear someone like Kobe Bryant say “eventually that storm passes.”
When someone who is so successful (specifically earned success) openly acknowledges obstacles, it really means a lot to me, and I’m sure a lot of people.
Kobe was by no means perfect, he’s had his clashes with some teammates (even the Lakers organization) and off-court controversies earlier in his career. Legacy, though, is usually defined by one’s imprint left on the world, and Kobe did a lot to give back to the generations succeeding him.
When we’re talking about legends or cultural icons, there are only a handful that can truly transcend generations and have global impact. Kobe Bryant was, no doubt, one of those of people and his story, in essence, is yet to be completed.
