On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and six others tragically passed away during a helicopter accident in Calabasas, California. Kobe played for the LA Lakers for 20 years and is to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The loss of Kobe and Gigi was a heartbreaking moment where Lakers fans and basketball lovers alike mourned the loss of these two. From a young age, Kobe had a promising career. He attended an Adidas camp growing up and wore 143. When the digits 1,4, and 3 are added together, the sum is 8. He He took inspiration from his early career to wear the number 8 in the first half of his career. He then switched to 24 because he felt it represented maturity and evolving into the Kobe we know today. Kobe, along with other superstars who joined the Lakers while he was tenured, such as Shaq, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, and Pau Gasol, was able to win five championships, win MVP, be an all star 18 times and win game MVP four of those times. He also added two finals MVP and scoring leader in the regular season to his exceptional resume. He was a defensive first teamer nine times in his career, second in three of them, and was also all NBA first team 11 times, second team and third team twice. He was a star on and off the court.
Kobe was first drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick in the first round in the 1996 NBA Drafts at only 17. Kobe started off his first season only starting six games and averaging 7.6 points per game. But over the years, he was able to improve, averaging 28.5 points per game and starting every game in the 2000-2001 season, just his fifth season in the NBA. For the Black Mamba’s first ten seasons wearing number 8, he scored 16,866 points and played in 707 games, also earning 8 all star selections, a scoring title, and 3 championships. Along with all those accolades, he added a slam dunk contest win to his resume. In his electric run while wearing number 8, he also put up 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second highest total in a game after Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points. Kobe was undeniably a monster on the court during this period of his career.
As good as he was wearing 8, the Black Mamba may have actually improved after switching his jersey number to 24. He put up 16,777 points over the span of 639 games while donning the number. He won MVP in the 2007-2008 NBA season while also adding another scoring record to his resume. Kobe then won another two championships before making the decision to retire. When it came down to Bryant’s final game, he seemed as locked in as ever. I’m sure that all basketball fans will remember the moment when Kobe put up 60 points in his final game in the NBA. After his tragic passing, ESPN re-aired the game to highlight and honor this amazing feat of athleticism. Whether wearing the number 24 or 8, Kobe’s legendary career will never be forgotten.
Kobe Bryant finished fourth on the NBA’s all time scoring list. He is eleventh on both the games played list and three point field goals made list. He is fifth on the all time field goals made list and finished his career as 29th on the NBA’s all time assist records. People will look back and remember all the good that he accomplished during his fulfilling career. Kobe was a star on and off the court. He and his wife Vannessa were parents to four daughters, Gigi, Bianca, Natalia, and Capri. Kobe used his platform to make an impact on and off the court. He volunteered for the Boys and Girls Club of America and appeared for the Make-a-Wish Foundation over 200 times. He also was an active participant in NBA Cares’ initiatives while helping build homes and basketball courts.
We will never forget the legacy he left behind as undoubtedly one of the greatest basketball players of all time. While many fans had their hearts broken on Sunday, January 26th, and mourn the loss of their idol, Kobe’s legacy will always be remembered for leaving it all on the court. Rest in peace, Black Mamba.