A Symbol of Excellence
by Simon Lehrer
MIAMI, FL. (1/31/20) –– Kobe Bryant will be forever linked to the city of Los Angeles. Yet it has become evident over these past few days that the “Black Mamba” had a profound, lasting impact on sports fans across the globe.
Tributes honoring the late Lakers great and his 13-year old daughter Gianna have been pouring in from all over the world this week, as millions (maybe even billions) of people are still trying to process a devastating new reality. Kobe and Gianna Bryant were killed on Sunday, in a helicopter crash which took the lives of nine people traveling to a youth basketball game in Orange County, California. Nobody wanted to believe the story, and at first, it seemed like nobody did. Every initial reaction seemed to echo the sentiment that this could not be possible, that we would wake up the next day and realize it was all a dream.
Unfortunately, the world woke up on Monday and was forced to accept that it was not a dream, that Kobe Bean Bryant really is no longer with us. If anything, the day after was tougher than the day it actually happened. Sunday’s shocking news slowly turned into a reality that will last forever, no matter how heartbreaking or difficult to accept.
The city of Miami will forever be linked to Kobe Bryant’s life story. Throngs of national media descended upon South Florida just one day after Bryant’s sudden death, and Super Bowl LIV headlines have taken a backseat this week to continued tributes for all nine victims of the Calabasas helicopter crash.
ESPN’s First Take is airing live from the Clevelander on South Beach all week. The highest-rated sports television show in America has brought thousands of fans to Ocean Drive since Monday, yet a usually festive atmosphere has been oddly somber. For every Super Bowl-related story, there are twice as many stories reflecting on the loss of Kobe Bryant. On Thursday, in front of a live audience on a gorgeous day in South Beach and just three days before the year’s biggest sporting event, First Take host Molly Qerim broke down in tears reading Vanessa Bryant’s tribute to her husband and daughter. Her words, which were posted to Instagram on Thursday morning, reflected on Kobe and Gianna’s lives and asked everyone to respect the family’s wish for privacy.
“He had a second life that was on the verge of being greater than his basketball career,” reflected basketball analyst and First Take co-host Stephen A. Smith, who was personally close with Bryant. “To hear him often say, ‘I can’t wait til you see my daughter play. She’s gonna star at UConn, be an All-American, be a WNBA player, she’s something special...’ – it is just devastating.”
During his career, Kobe Bryant played just one game in Miami each year, but he still facilitated some unforgettable moments at the AmericanAirlines Arena. One vivid memory that comes to mind is a video which perfectly represented the Mamba Mentality. Late in the 2011 season, Kobe put up a forgettable performance in Miami, shooting 8-of-21 in a loss to the Heat. After the game, as other Lakers players sat on the team bus, Kobe Bryant headed back into the AmericanAirlines Arena and spent an hour putting up shots. It was well past midnight. The video went viral before going viral was even a thing.
Then there was the buzzer beater in 2009, where Kobe hit a game-winning three over Dwyane Wade at the Staples Center. Miami led by two with just one second to play, when Kobe heaved a nearly-halfcourt shot over Wade to close out the game, and hand the Lakers a stunning 108-107 win. Los Angeles went crazy. Dwyane Wade just shook his head in disbelief.
On Tuesday, Wade tweeted the following about his friend: Heroes come and go. LEGENDS live forever!! #8 #24
The Heat held a tribute to Kobe before their games on both Monday and Tuesday. The AmericanAirlines Arena broke into chants of “KO-BE, KO-BE, KO-BE,” multiple times throughout both of those games – a win over the Orlando Magic and a loss to the Celtics. After the Celtics game, Coach Erik Spoelstra described how he plans on honoring the late Lakers great.
“When my sons get old enough, I’m going to order the Kobe [shoes], and tell them the story of Kobe Bryant,” said Spoelstra. “When they’re old enough to understand, those shoes will be a symbol of excellence of work ethic and commitment and class.”
Ultimately, the impact Kobe Bryant left on this world will transcend generations. He had much more to offer this world, as did the other eight people on that helicopter – John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, Christina Mauser, Ara Zobayan, and Gianna Bryant. They were all taken from the world too soon, while being united by their love for the game of basketball.
In turn, the game will forever be indebted to Kobe Bean Bryant, and the legacy he leaves behind. “You are responsible for how people remember you,” Bryant once said. “It’s the one thing you can control...so don’t take it lightly.”
Everyone will remember the Black Mamba in their own way, some more positively and profoundly than others. But the impact he had on an entire generation of athletes is something unprecedented and unmatched. Those same athletes will pass down the legacy of Kobe Bryant to future generations – thus ensuring that the Mamba Mentality will live forever.