MAMBA FOREVER

I still can’t believe I am sitting down to write a tribute piece for Kobe Bryant. Kobe for me was like Roddy Piper in that I just took for granted that they would be on the Earth to grow old with us, they both seemed so invulnerable that dying young wasn’t even a thought. All the circumstances around Kobe’s death were so out of place for me that it almost seemed like a bad dream that you would soon wake from. The words ‘Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash’ did not compute for me at first, I thought it couldn’t be real. I’ll never forget relaxing on the couch refreshing Twitter and seeing the news start to trickle in not thinking it could be possible or real. But in the end it wasn’t a bad dream, there was no choice but to face the unfortunate reality that Kobe was actually gone. It was so surreal for me in the days after it happened, I couldn’t believe we were watching moments of silence and post-humous tributes for Kobe Bryant. I could only shake my head seeing pics of Kobe with 1978-2020 under them. Then to learn that his daughter Gianna was also onboard along with 4 parents, 2 children and the pilot…heartbreaking doesn’t begin to describe the anguish. As much publicity as this crash received, it will not be their legacy. Kobe Bryant was more than a helicopter crash. So was Gianna Bryant. So were John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelli. So were Sarah and Payton Chester. So was Christina Mauser. So was Ara Zobayan.

Kobe Bryant first came on my radar off the hype of making the transition from high school to the NBA. With Michael Jordan closer to the end of his career than his prime, fans were excited to see who the next great one would be to take the reigns from MJ. Kobe Bean Bryant was more than ready for that responsibility. Took him time to get his feet under him but once he did, Kobe established a legacy of greatness through hard work that carried him to 5 championships. I have always been a fan of greatness and seeing great things happen so while I wasn’t a Laker fan since we had the Raptors, I was definitely a Kobe fan. Kobe & Shaq were the reason I was watching in 2002 when Robert Horry hit what might be my favourite game winning shot, that is until Kawhi crushed the 6ers. One of my favourite Kobe plays was his in-game behind the back 360 dunk lol just sick. Kobe hit 27 game winners in his career but if you subtract game winning free throws, he hit 24 game winners. Pretty incredible. As a Yankee fan I have never been a fan of Boston teams so I was cheering hard for Kobe and the Lakers to beat the Celtics to win his 5^th championship…1 more than Shaq.

On the Sunday night it happened I was able to watch the Shaq/Kobe sit-down interview they did on the NBA network and it was very cathartic. Seeing the brotherly dynamic between them was refreshing considering the rift that had developed during their playing days. Watching Kobe throw his head back to belly laugh with that big smile never disappearing from his face was definitely emotional, there was such a light to him that it’s tough to know we won’t see that laugh or smile again. I hated that the Kobe/Shaq team broke apart with Shaq going to the Heat and Kobe staying with the Lakers, as a fan of greatness I wanted to see how many they could win together. But Kobe/Shaq are both alpha males and neither one wanted to yield leadership/credit to the other so no matter the love they truly had for each other, eventually things had to come apart. Shaq/Kobe agree that they could have won 10 championships if they had stayed together and you won’t get an argument from me.

After their split and Shaq won a ring in Miami, the haters were out in full force saying Kobe couldn’t win a ring without Shaq so if the Raptors couldn’t win then I wanted Kobe to at least tie Shaq. But in the end Kobe not only tied it up but passed him by with the 2010 championship vs the Celtics. Kobe would have gone down as 1 of the greatest of all time without those last 2 rings but winning them just solidified his legacy. I’m so glad I got to be alive at the same time as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant so I could watch and appreciate their greatness. Watching Kobe’s amazing dunks, bouncing guys back and forth on the court with his moves and that sweet fade was such a treat. I was in front of the TV watching in awe as Kobe dropped 81 on my beloved Raptors. You would think he was padding the stats to get 81 but it was a close game for most of it and he needed at least 60 of those points to secure the win. Obviously once you hit 60 you’re going for the highest total you can but despite it being against my team I wanted to see how much he could get. I’m thankful we thought to snap a picture of the stats screen after the game was over, I had always hoped to print it out and get Kobe to sign it but at least I have a little piece of the history. Of course Kobe couldn’t retire without 1 last great night and he certainly delivered scoring 60 going out with a Win. I really enjoyed watching that last game, cheering for him to keep shooting and shooting to get that point total higher and higher. A perfect end to a legendary career. I saw a video someone edited to show how similar Kobe and Jordan’s games were and I was blown away how close they were. Kobe spent ungodly hours in the gym, on the court day and night to try and keep up with Michael Jordan’s greatness and he did it. With a career full of all time greatness, Kobe earned his place to stand beside MJ forever as one of the greatest of all time.

Now it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Kobe Bryant as some people were so eager to point out in the immediate aftermath so I have to address it. The awful situation with the 2003 rape accusation in Denver almost completely derailed Kobe’s life and career. It def made me take a step back from my fandom of Kobe. Knowing the details of the case, it isn’t just black and white there are a lot of grey areas but we do know that Kobe himself admitted the encounter may not have been consensual to the woman. I’m going to use his exact quote: “Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter. “ When sex goes from being about passion to dominance, it’s a very dangerous place where consent can get lost and why nobody should engage in it. It may have started consensual and then turned into something else as the encounter continued. I have no idea what exactly happened in that hotel room, only Kobe and the woman know and they settled it privately. Kobe was never charged with a crime. At this point Kobe has already stood in front of Jesus and received consequences for any sin that was on his soul for that incident. Considering all the facts, it is extremely disrespectful to continue to drag his name through the mud and suggest this incident is his legacy.

Look at what God did in Kobe’s life after this incident, he blessed him with 4 daughters when we all know Kobe really wanted a son. But God only delivered him girls so Kobe could come to truly understand women and their journey in life. And Kobe grew to absolutely love being a ‘Girl Dad’ as we heard in that emotional story from Elle Duncan on Sportcenter. Bc of his girls Kobe had to shift his focus from the NBA to the WNBA. To volleyball. To tea parties. Kobe Bryant became a shining beacon for women’s sports but esp women’s basketball, a strong force that would push them into the mainstream. In recent years we had started to see the rise of his daughter Gianna as a female basketball player which makes this tragedy that much worse. By all accounts she had all the gifts on the court her Dad had and was on her way to becoming a serious force in the game. We just saw that sweet and now heartbreaking video of Kobe and Gianna sitting on the sidelines breaking down the game. One of Kobe’s last quotes was about how he thought there were WNBA players good enough to play in the NBA and I truly believe he was setting the table for Gianna to one day play in the NBA. I was excited to see where Gianna’s career would take her and what Kobe’s influence would do for women’s sports.

If you look at Kobe’s life, we didn’t see more of what happened in 2003. We saw the complete opposite. We saw a man grow to be a better person that repaired the relationship with his wife and dedicated himself to being the best Dad to his girls he could possibly be. We saw him embrace women’s sports and female athletes trying to help them with his knowledge and presence in the world. This is why some of these nasty comments about him really bother me. I don’t care if you’re someone that has never made a mistake, you have no right to ignore all the good in someone’s life/character and hold their worst moment over their head if they have owned it and tried to make it right. Esp someone that has shown change/growth and resolved the issue with the victim. In fact, every time Kobe did something wrong and was shown the error of his ways, he would work to grow from it and encourage others to follow the same path. When Kobe made an insensitive remark about Trayvon Martin, he worked to learn more and changed his tune. He even organized the Lakers to wear ‘I Can’t Breathe’ t-shirts after Eric Garner was murdered. When he used a gay slur and was once again shown the error of his ways, he tried to stop his fans from using ‘gay’ as a negative word using it as a teaching tool. He reportedly granted more than 200 Make-A-Wish requests. He routinely visited sick kids in the hospital as long as there was no publicity. In retirement he came to the aid of a car accident victim staying until help arrived. He donated significant amounts of money to charities that were close to his heart. I could go on and on as people from all walks of life have been telling stories of the positive impact Kobe directly had on their lives/careers. Nobody is calling Kobe Bryant a saint but there is absolutely nothing wrong with calling him a Good man.

I had heard the term ‘Mamba Mentality’ but to be honest I wasn’t exactly sure what it meant. I just assumed it was referring to playing great or a high work ethic but after he died I heard it described as trying to be the best version of yourself every day and I almost cried. I have been preaching that the meaning of life is to become the best version of yourself and I try to encourage people to go after that every day of their life. So to know that we were on the same wave length, preaching the same thing was tough. Kobe’s life is proof that Mamba Mentality is trying to be the best version of yourself bc Kobe clearly tried despite his shortcomings. None of us are perfect and we all need to remember that but we can absolutely be the best versions of ourselves every day if just try. I didn’t know anything about Kobe’s faith when he was alive but after he passed away that I learned he was a Godly man that went to church, just another reason to lift up his legacy.

When a tragedy like this happens, it’s natural to look for the why. Why would this happen? Was this God’s plan or was this satan trying to extinguish great lights. Did God want them on that helicopter or was He trying to do everything he could to influence Kobe not to fly that day? None of us will ever know but considering the tremendous loss of the 9 souls I don’t think it was God’s plan. But where satan thinks he succeeded, he actually failed miserably. Bc as powerful as Kobe was in life, this tragedy has made him more powerful than ever. It has made the legacies and impacts of the other 8 victims more powerful. Right now as I am writing this and you are reading it, someone is working harder, studying harder, shooting 1 more shot, spending 1 more minute with their family to honour Kobe. That’s why God gave him this gift of elite talent. It’s awful that Kobe won’t be around to lift up women’s basketball but now instead of 1 powerful voice there will be many to make sure Kobe’s work won’t go unfinished. Maybe Michael Jordan uses his influence where he wouldn’t have before. Maybe NBA legends team up to use their influence where they wouldn’t have before. Maybe TV stations are more open to showing women’s sports where they wouldn’t have before. It won’t be the same as Kobe doing it, there is only 1 Kobe Bryant and bc of his daughters his passion was fiercer than most. There are no limits to what Mamba Mentality could inspire. Curing cancer, raising the bar of greatness in sports, Good fathers and mothers, helping another that is in need, learning from your mistakes, anything and everything is possible.

God gave him all time great talent for a reason, so that he could inspire people all over the world. Look at the outpouring of grief and respect from all corners of the world. The reason I chose the mural of Kobe/Gianna on the basketball court in the Philippines as the main picture is bc it shows just how far the reach of Kobe Bryant went. Having elite talent can be tough bc of how fans start to worship you. It becomes difficult to tell people treating you like a God to stop and that you’re just a regular person. satan tries to influence that person to accept the worship and think, ‘you know what, I am a God.’ And act accordingly. That is usually where that person’s life starts to go off the rails. Kobe definitely walked the razor’s edge of this but he grounded himself and came out clean on the other side. God had big plans for Kobe’s talent and the worldwide inspiration we see around the world in his life and death is proof of that. As strong as it was in life, it is even stronger in death. Bc of this tragedy, people will hold onto that I inspiration harder and longer than they would have if he was alive. I wish more than anything Kobe could have lived a long, full life but bc of Mamba Mentality, Kobe will never fade away.

Now I want to say something about the other 8 victims of the crash I got from reading a little bit of their stories, to honour their memories.

Gianna Bryant – Mambacita. I get a lump in my throat even typing this. Only 13 years old she had everything ahead of her and by all accounts could have had that same all-time great talent her Dad had. I love the story Kobe told on Jimmy Kimmel about people coming up saying Kobe needed to have a boy to carry on the legacy and Gianna spoke up saying, “I GOT THIS.” People that saw her play say she was already developing a sick fade, like her Dad. Devastating to lose someone so young but also bc of what her potential greatness could have done for women’s basketball. Her #2 will forever be celebrated beside her Dad’s #24 & #8, not the way anyone wanted to remember Gianna but she will absolutely not be forgotten.

John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelli – I wish I had known about John Altobelli before the crash bc what a legacy he left behind. I read the story Sports Illustrated did on him and he was an inspiring man. Reading about what he did for the Watanabe family and helping to remember their son was incredible. Keeping their son’s memory alive and using his life and story for inspiration that eventually helped his team win their first championship since 1980. Keri Altobelli was a warm, caring wife & mother that became a comforting presence for the Watanabe’s helping them survive their son’s tragic passing. Alyssa Altobelli was a good kid and a talented basketball player that dreamed of showcasing her skills in college and beyond. The legacies they left will live on in everyone they touched and the world will make sure they aren’t forgotten when this tragedy is remembered over the years.

Sarah and Payton Chester – Described as a mother-daughter team full of mischief and laughter. A heartbreaking quote from Payton’s Uncle called her “the sweetest soul, the kindest, most gentle person you would ever meet.” She had dreams of taking her basketball skills to college and the WNBA and by all accounts would have got there. Sarah was described as “everything to her family, to our family,” Sounded like one of those people you could go to for anything. You hear those words about them and just know that their light will continue to shine on.

Christina Mauser – Christina was a defensive specialist for Gianna’s team but more importantly an amazing wife and mother to 3 children. She excelled at all 3 to the point of Kobe calling her the ‘Mother of Defence” thanks to how effective she was at teaching the girls. Any success her girls had moving forward in basketball would owe a big thanks to Coach Mauser. The impact of her life on her family and team will ensure that just like Mamba Mentality, Christina will continue to inspire people.

Ara Zobayan – Ara was an Ace helicopter pilot that found his love for it during a sight-seeing trip over the Grand Canyon, I thought that was a pretty cool detail. His skills led to a reputation that had high profile clients specifically requesting him. This crash will not define his legacy, his good character and passion for flying will.

Just an absolutely awful, devastating tragedy and spreads so far. It’s not right that their lives ended the way they did but the responsibility of the rest of us is to make sure their lights always shine bright and to be the best versions of ourselves every day.

The last 2 weeks have been so surreal and writing this piece is something I never thought I would be doing. But I’m glad I decided to do it bc it has really helped me process and heal from this tragedy. The wounds are still open and hurting but I feel a sense of peace knowing that they will not be forgotten and their legacies will help people be better, help the world be better. Some people scoff at shedding tears for people you don’t know or why Kobe is remembered more fiercely by the world than others. But Kobe was on our walls. Kobe was on our TV screens in our house. Kobe was on our feet. Kobe was on our backs. Kobe was on the court with us. Kobe was there when we swished into the trash can. Most of us didn’t know Kobe personally but we knew him. We were connected to him. I think part of why this hit so hard is that it felt like we just saw Kobe. The night before, LeBron passed him in points and Kobe was there to congratulate him. Kobe’s last tweet was about LeBron passing his point total and continuing a great legacy. It felt like we would have Kobe there for all the big moments to come on the basketball court. And then just like that, Kobe was gone.

Greatness on the basketball court wasn’t enough, Kobe even won an Oscar for his animated short, ‘Dear Basketball.’ An incredible accomplishment. Everything he did, he always gave it his everything, his best. I always try to be the best version of myself and will preach that until I die. Now that I know that’s what Mamba Mentality means, I’ll definitely be helping to keep the legacy going. I continue to send my strongest prayers of love, peace, healing, strength, perseverance, all good energy I can think of out to the families and friends that were left behind. I’ll continue to pray for the fans of Kobe, that they won’t give into the worst of themselves and always try to be their best. I’ll continue to enjoy the clips of Kobe’s great career. When I have kids I’ll show them the greatness of Kobe Bryant. I’ll always smile at the clip of Kobe and Gianna breaking down the game. I’ll go out of my way to support women’s basketball and women’s sports when they are lifted up to mens levels. I’m thankful God made me a basketball fan so I could be there to enjoy and appreciate the greatness of Kobe Bryant. In every picture of Kobe, he always has the big, bright smile that he was known for. More than anything, that’s what I’ll remember about Kobe.

Mamba 4 Life. Mamba Forever.

#24 #8 #2