Tribute: The Legacy Kobe Bryant Leaves Behind

When a first name is more than enough—for all those into basketball, and even those who have only a passing interest in the game, the name Kobe will forever say it all

Philip Cu-Unjieng

January 27, 2020, 10:10 PM

In the world of sports, the mere mention of a first name translating to instant recognition as to who one is referring to happens only to a very elite few. In basketball, Magic, Bird, Julius, Shaq, and LeBron are among the few who are still among us, enjoying that distinction (LeBron is the only active player in that list). Kobe Bryant certainly enjoyed that status as well, and it is a tragedy that at the age of 41, Kobe is no longer with us.

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A post shared by Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) on Jul 19, 2019 at 1:50pm PDT

Congratulating LeBron on Saturday night for passing him on the all-time scoring list, and then perishing alongside his daughter Gianna Maria-Onore (13, and a basketball player herself with the nickname Baby Mamba) a few hours later is so ironic, and left the sports world in deep shock. All around the globe, tributes and expressions of sympathy were being made⁠—in the Aussie Open of tennis, Nick Kyrgios came out for his match with Rafa wearing a Kobe jersey. Kobe is survived by wife Vanessa and three other daughters (Natalia Diamante, Bianka Bella, and Capri Kobe), the youngest just born in June of 2019.

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On to #2 @kingjames! Keep growing the game and charting the path for the next. 💪🏾

A post shared by Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) on Jan 25, 2020 at 8:18pm PST

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Merry Christmas 🙏🏾🎄🎁

A post shared by Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) on Dec 25, 2019 at 11:20am PST

Hailing from Philly, Kobe was drafted to the NBA (National Basketball Association) at 18, retiring 20 years later as one of the most prolific scorers the game has ever seen. LeBron passed him just a few days ago, taking 2,000 less shots to reach that point total. Five NBA titles, two Finals MVP, a ridiculous 18 All-Star appearances, two Gold medals for Team USA in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics—these are just some of the records Kobe took with him when he retired in 2016.

And of course, there are the highlights we’ll always remember: the 81-point game in 2006 against the Toronto Raptors, and closing his career with a 60-point performance in a home game, with the likes of Jack Nicholson, Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg watching in sheer astonishment. Everyone in the arena was just there to say goodbye to a player who had become emblematic of the franchise for twenty years, and instead, we’re treated to an individual performance that made a mockery of his 38 years of age, and the dismal season the Lakers had suffered through. Those are two games that stand as defining moments of Kobe’s illustrious career.

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The New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden pay tribute to Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.

A post shared by NBA (@nba) on Jan 26, 2020 at 6:34pm PST

Two different jersey numbers were retired by the Lakers—the first time this has happened. He’s a shoo-in as a Basketball Hall of Famer. And there’s the distinction of his Academy Award-winning short film Dear Basketball. While these are just some of the high marks of the Kobe we'll always remember, the public record does also show that there are more complicating aspects to the life Kobe led in the glare of the spotlight.

Cursed with a polarizing personality, there are also the much publicized clashes with teammates. Most prominent among these would be that with Shaq, as Laker fans still wax rhapsodic about the many more titles that could have been had the rift not caused Shaq to leave the team. There’s also his run-ins with then coach Phil Jackson. Kobe led the league in attempts six times—with a lowly 28 per cent clip for three point shots in his last season. Never shy to heave the ball at the basket, Kobe was confidence personified, even when he’d been having an off night.

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#8v24

A post shared by Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) on Dec 18, 2017 at 2:23pm PST

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A post shared by @kanyonburner on Jan 27, 2020 at 6:21am PST

And of course, there’s the 2003 sexual assault case of a teenage hotel employee, which Kobe claimed was consensual. The girl refused to testify, and while Kobe admitted to the adultery, he denied the assault allegations. The case was eventually settled in a civil lawsuit. Wife Vanessa filed for divorce in 2011, but withdrew it two years later. Some may question why these are being mentioned at all; but being such a public figure, it would be more glaring to omit them when speaking of the legacy Kobe leaves behind.

If anything, from the point Kobe retired it would seem that he devoted himself to being an ardent family man, and a lot have been written about the very special bond he had with Gianna, his second child. He supported Gianna and her love for basketball; of late, Kobe had been making a lot of comments about Women’s Basketball which the WNBA was extremely grateful for.

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN 🎃

A post shared by Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) on Oct 31, 2019 at 4:53pm PDT

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Happy Birthday to my beautiful baby @vanessabryant you are like fine wine baby ti amo per sempre #queenmamba #taurus

A post shared by Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) on May 5, 2019 at 9:05pm PDT

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My Gigi

A post shared by Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) on Sep 3, 2019 at 1:59pm PDT

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@wnba finals rematch got us hype! A lil one on one with my baby Gigi #footwork #stringmusic #mambacita

A post shared by Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) on Sep 17, 2017 at 11:20pm PDT

Kobe is one of a handful of players instrumental in raising basketball’s global profile. And if anything, this will be the most lasting thing he leaves behind. His appearances in China and in other cities around the world are stuff still written about with passion and incredulity⁠—his popularity in China even eclipsing how he’s received in the USA. For so many sports fans who grew to love basketball over the last 24 years, it was the presence of Kobe that helped cement that love for the game. He will be missed.