Kobe and His Legacy
You all hear about Kobe, I asked two guys on their way out of the gym. One of them had their head down, texting, walking slow with his mouth open. Yeah, man...that's crazy. I had just left the apartment after having the news confirmed from my sister and a phone call from my fiance's father to his daughter. So it IS true, I heard Adrianne say while on the phone with her dad who lives in California. I was working on a personal project and couldn't finish. My best friend called me back after I attempted to contact him. He was about to coach a game and was trying to process the news. He said bye before hanging up and I couldn't answer quick enough. I choked. I had to walk it off.
Kobe is not my personal friend or brother. He's not my father, cousin, or someone I've shaken hands with at some point. He's a star basketball player I've watched since the late 90s. I recall watching the Lakers play at my best friend's house on a floor model television. I remember the Adidas and afro, the quick passes to Shaq to slam it home as an option to score, not the only choice. Kobe could score whenever he wanted to, but he knew he had a dependable teammate and would grow to learn he had several more. I remember him smiling at the All-Star games as he got older, accompanied with freshmen who at some point admired his game play and ability to focus. I remember Kobe, the killer athlete. I recall the championship game in 2005 with Detroit and the 20 point lead the Pistons had the entire time. I remember changing the channel and not watching another game for a long time after the Lakers lost. I heard about the many changes in the Lakers' organization. You know, the politics. The one game that mattered the most to me was his last because despite what he did or did not do, he was leaving it all on the court, tired and all.
60 points. That wasn't the highlight though. The takeaway was watching his family cheer him on, especially Gigi. You could see him watching his daughter witness the closing chapter of her father's basketball career...and the beginning of a new one. It's the chapter that featured what he loved most and wanted to spend more time investing in--fatherhood and marriage. Thanks to the media, we were witnessing Black Mamba reveal himself as Black Dad. Cheesing from lobe to lobe, he was enjoying his girls. Despite Kobe's act with the courtroom, watching him hold Vanessa's hand and apologize publicly reminded me that even the greats fall, but never too far from grace. I commended his honesty and bravery. I commended his vulnerability. Most of all, I admired his ability to bounce back.
I thought we had more time with him. According to us, he was just getting started. I was looking forward to seeing a grey Kobe, my best friend told me, fighting back tears at my dinner table. We both shared an appreciation for this guy because he made such an impact in our lives. He represented the heart of the perfect athlete. He was resilient, relentless, and unbound. He played hard and practiced harder. He wanted to win, so he did. He's had a few injuries and setbacks, but they never kept him buried. He was suppose to watch his daughter go on and be recognized as Kobe 2.0. He was suppose to continue the conversation of life post basketball and being happy. At least that's what we assumed. The first thing many of us thought was, not like this.
Watching Shaq and Tracy McGrady talk about Kobe post his passing hit hard because it reminded me of how human he was and how little time we all have, whether it's 41 years or more. When you get a chance, go watch the clip of him on The View from 2018 when he surprised a kid with signed jerseys who was suffering from seizures. Also check out the clips of him with other NBA players, having fun and joking around. Lastly, check out the clips of him trash-talking with opponents. Different languages, same person. Kobe didn't just speak different foreign languages, but human dialect. He was multilayered. He was a contender and companion.
Kobe, I personally thank you for being you. Thank you for challenging yourself and us to be the best we were created to be. Your passing and that of your daughter and the remaining passengers of the helicopter crash hit hard, bro. All we have is your legacy...and it's a great one. I overheard Dr. Myles Monroe state that if there's anything worth investing in, it's definitely people. He created relationships that will forever shape their hearts and dictate their interaction with others in the future. No, I didn't know Kobe,but I knew his consistency, his mentality that most, if not everyone, learned to adapt over the last few decades. He's your favorite athlete's favorite athlete. Most importantly, he's an example of someone sent here to complete an assignment that would affect the entire world. Sounds familiar? No, he's not Jesus, but maybe now... he gets to meet Him.
Kobe is not my personal friend or brother. He's not my father, cousin, or someone I've shaken hands with at some point. He's a star basketball player I've watched since the late 90s. I recall watching the Lakers play at my best friend's house on a floor model television. I remember the Adidas and afro, the quick passes to Shaq to slam it home as an option to score, not the only choice. Kobe could score whenever he wanted to, but he knew he had a dependable teammate and would grow to learn he had several more. I remember him smiling at the All-Star games as he got older, accompanied with freshmen who at some point admired his game play and ability to focus. I remember Kobe, the killer athlete. I recall the championship game in 2005 with Detroit and the 20 point lead the Pistons had the entire time. I remember changing the channel and not watching another game for a long time after the Lakers lost. I heard about the many changes in the Lakers' organization. You know, the politics. The one game that mattered the most to me was his last because despite what he did or did not do, he was leaving it all on the court, tired and all.
60 points. That wasn't the highlight though. The takeaway was watching his family cheer him on, especially Gigi. You could see him watching his daughter witness the closing chapter of her father's basketball career...and the beginning of a new one. It's the chapter that featured what he loved most and wanted to spend more time investing in--fatherhood and marriage. Thanks to the media, we were witnessing Black Mamba reveal himself as Black Dad. Cheesing from lobe to lobe, he was enjoying his girls. Despite Kobe's act with the courtroom, watching him hold Vanessa's hand and apologize publicly reminded me that even the greats fall, but never too far from grace. I commended his honesty and bravery. I commended his vulnerability. Most of all, I admired his ability to bounce back.
I thought we had more time with him. According to us, he was just getting started. I was looking forward to seeing a grey Kobe, my best friend told me, fighting back tears at my dinner table. We both shared an appreciation for this guy because he made such an impact in our lives. He represented the heart of the perfect athlete. He was resilient, relentless, and unbound. He played hard and practiced harder. He wanted to win, so he did. He's had a few injuries and setbacks, but they never kept him buried. He was suppose to watch his daughter go on and be recognized as Kobe 2.0. He was suppose to continue the conversation of life post basketball and being happy. At least that's what we assumed. The first thing many of us thought was, not like this.
Watching Shaq and Tracy McGrady talk about Kobe post his passing hit hard because it reminded me of how human he was and how little time we all have, whether it's 41 years or more. When you get a chance, go watch the clip of him on The View from 2018 when he surprised a kid with signed jerseys who was suffering from seizures. Also check out the clips of him with other NBA players, having fun and joking around. Lastly, check out the clips of him trash-talking with opponents. Different languages, same person. Kobe didn't just speak different foreign languages, but human dialect. He was multilayered. He was a contender and companion.
Kobe, I personally thank you for being you. Thank you for challenging yourself and us to be the best we were created to be. Your passing and that of your daughter and the remaining passengers of the helicopter crash hit hard, bro. All we have is your legacy...and it's a great one. I overheard Dr. Myles Monroe state that if there's anything worth investing in, it's definitely people. He created relationships that will forever shape their hearts and dictate their interaction with others in the future. No, I didn't know Kobe,but I knew his consistency, his mentality that most, if not everyone, learned to adapt over the last few decades. He's your favorite athlete's favorite athlete. Most importantly, he's an example of someone sent here to complete an assignment that would affect the entire world. Sounds familiar? No, he's not Jesus, but maybe now... he gets to meet Him.
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