The World Reacts to the Death of Basketball Legend Kobe Bryant
The world was sent into utter shock two weeks ago when Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others passed away in a tragic helicopter crash near Calabasas, California. The crash immediately sent social media into a frenzy, as conflicting reports caused people to question whether it was a hoax. Bryant’s most recent tweet had only come 12 hours earlier, when he congratulated LeBron James on surpassing him on the all-time points list. But later that day, the world’s worst fears were confirmed, Kobe Bryant had died at the age of 41.
When I heard about the accident, I reminisced on what Kobe meant to me as both a basketball player and fan. When I was 10, I’d lay in bed every night listening to either the Lakers or the Raptors games before falling asleep. Kobe and Vince Carter are some of the biggest inspirations to a generation of Canadian basketball fans. I’d practice shooting by myself, emulating Kobe’s rhythm and timing. Hell, I even believed I’d make it someday just like Kobe did. While obviously I didn’t make the NBA (seemed a bit too hard to manage being a pro basketball player and law student), Kobe left a deep impression on me. Whether it be his legendary work ethic or his incredible personality on and off the court, Kobe’s passion and drive for the game could inspire anyone.
Social media and the basketball community came together with beautiful tributes and memories of Kobe to reminisce over his incredible achievements, including his 5 NBA championships, 81-point night vs. the Raptors, or the 60 point-final game of his career. Because Kobe touched the lives of millions, there have been an amazing amount of heartfelt moments around the league following his passing.
In the first regular season games after the accident, teams paid their respects by starting the game with a 24 second shot clock violation followed by an 8 second backcourt violation, an homage to Kobe’s two jersey numbers over his career. Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, stated that his team will retire the number 24 to honour his legacy. Former Lakers teammate Shaquille O’Neal expressed deep sadness over the loss of a man he saw as his little brother.
Perhaps the greatest tribute of all was seen when the Lakers played their first home game since Kobe’s passing. The Lakers were set to play the Portland Trailblazers in what was sure to be one of the most emotional games of their lives. As the player introductions began, all of the Lakers were wearing Kobe’s jersey, and the public address announcer introduced each player as none other than the legend himself. Just before tip-off, LeBron gave an incredible speech that will surely be remembered for a long time. He began by stating that he’s going off script and going straight from the heart. I won’t be able to do it justice by describing it, so I’ll conclude this piece by using a transcript of LeBron’s speech.
The first thing that came to mind, man, is all about family. As I look around this arena, we’re all grieving. We’re all hurt. We’re all heartbroken. But when we’re going through things like this, the best thing you can do is lean on the shoulders of your family.
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I want to continue along with my teammates, to continue his legacy, not only for this year, but for as long as we can play the game of basketball that we love because that’s what Kobe Bryant would want. So in the words of Kobe Bryant, ‘Mamba out.’ But in the words of us, ‘Not forgotten. Live on, brother.
Thank you for everything you’ve done to inspire me, Kobe. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.