NBA legend, Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and three others were killed in a helicopter crash Sunday morning, around 10:00AM PST in California. They were on their way to Gianna’s travel team’s basketball game. Kobe Bryant was 41 years old, and Gianna was just 13.
I wish I could say just one thing Kobe was mainly known for, but there is so much, both on and off the court, that he did. I would just like to run down his most impressive accolades:
- 5-Time NBA Champion
- 1-Time NBA MVP
- 2-Time Finals MVP
- 18-Time NBA All-Star
- 15-Time All-NBA Team Member (11 All-NBA First Team)
- 12-Time All-Defensive Team Member (9 All-Defensive First Team)
- 2-Time NBA Scoring Champion
- Lakers All-Time Leading Scorer
Kobe Bryant wasn’t just a very talented basketball player, some call him the greatest of all time, he was an inspiration to the entire world of basketball, especially the newest generation of NBA players. Last year, he worked out with Boston Celtic, Jayson Tatum, and we saw a big jump in his game. He also worked with Trae Young this past offseason. Today before his game, Trae Young was seen sobbing while hugging his mom after hearing about Kobe’s passing. That is how much Kobe meant to the sport of basketball. He saw the potential in these young stars who admired him, and instead of blowing them off and focusing on himself, he helped them get better. Everyone wanted to be the next Kobe, hence why when people would shoot a basketball into a hoop, or even a paper ball into a trash can, they would shout, “Kobe!” Today, NBA teams playing paid tribute to Kobe Bryant by having either 24-second shot clock violations or 8-second violations for not bringing the ball past half court.
Last time I heard news about Kobe, he saw a car crash happen right in front of him last month. Instead of driving past it, he put his hazard lights on, got out of the car, and helped out whatever way he could. Anyone in the world could have done this. Any level of fame, if any, or wealth. Not many people step out of their car to help out with a car crash. But Kobe Bryant did this twice, the other time in November 2018. He is not only there to assist the people who admired him and play basketball because of him, he is there to help out anyone he possibly can, and that is why Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest humans to ever live. He may not have led a major movement that changed the country or world forever, but he helped out anyone he could despite being a sports legend who many people didn’t know off the court. Kobe has and will always affect many people, and he will be missed by all…
Philadelphia Sports Chronicle 