Fulton’s Fast Break: The legend of Kobe

Witnessing Kobe Bryant constantly dominate and take over games gave everyone, young or old, athletic or not, a legend to model themselves after on and off the court.

The news of Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s deaths broke the hearts of people around the world, not just those involved in basketball. Instead of only players and coaches recalling the legend’s performance on the court, Bryant’s role as a father and his work ethic are the pinnacle of every mournful conversation. 

It’s easy to remember his dominance on the court, but Kobe instilled a mindset across the nation, the “Mamba Mentality”, a trait few players in any sport have. Kobe only worked harder, he never asked for superstars to join the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe only took contested three-pointers with the game on the line, he never passed the ball under pressure. And after his career, Kobe only used the spotlight to speak about Gianna’s future, not his current situation. 

Kobe and his wife Vanessa went through struggles after Kobe admitted to committing adultery with a hotel employee in 2003, but he and Vanessa kept a strong marriage. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne documented in 2013 how Kobe taught himself Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” to play on piano in honor of Vanessa. His passion caught the eyes of everyone, not just those who watch sports.

“What I’ve noticed on social media or even the media is the recognition Kobe is getting from the non-athletic world. There are people who don’t know anything about Kobe getting drafted, they couldn’t tell you what number he wore, they couldn’t talk about his 63-point game, but there are housewives that know who Kobe Bryant is. He’s touching a whole other non-basketball world and I think that shows true impact,” Head Men’s Basketball Coach Houston Reed said.

Normally, we remember the athlete and not the person, but this wasn’t the case on Sunday. Never have I witnessed six teams unaffiliated with a former player honor them the way the Celtics, Pelicans, Wizards, Hawks, Raptors and Spurs pay tribute to Bryant with in-game clock violations tailored to Kobe’s number (24 and eight). Brooklyn Nets’ Kyrie Irving left the team’s stadium after hearing the news and didn’t play in Sunday’s game and multiple players across the league called for those games to be rescheduled.

With his heartbreaking exit from life, Bryant showed his greatness in his final moments on, and off the court as well. At age 37, “The Mamba” scored 60 points in his final NBA game against the Utah Jazz and congratulated Lebron James breaking his career-points record the night before his tragic death. His play is indescribable, but the next-closest adjective I’d use to sum up Kobe’s career is “Fearless”. 

In the twilight of his career, Bryant played through multiple leg injuries with the most memorable being his two free throws after tearing his ACL against the Golden State Warriors in 2013. He never backed away from any moment or felt he needed extra support to accomplish success because Kobe worked harder than anyone on the court.

Kobe’s death reminds us how fragile life is, but also how great it can be with the right values and work-ethic. The Mamba was willing to work harder than anyone in the room. His death is heartbreaking, but it’s also a wakeup call for us to embrace every moment and work hard. 

If Kobe can ball out of control with injured legs, we can improve in our daily lives. If Kobe and Vanessa can improve their marriage after hardships, we can work on our own relationships. Above all, if Kobe can impact and inspire those around him, why can’t we do the same?