Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant 1978 - 2020
Not many people have meant more to a city than Kobe Bean Bryant meant to the city of angels. While Kobe’s legend was born on the basketball court in a Los Angeles Lakers purple and gold uniform, his legacy extends far beyond the hardwood.
While Los Angeles is often mistakenly perceived as a glitzy celebrity town, Bryant’s exhaustive work ethic showed the world it is anything but. Kobe embodied the blue-collar spirit of LA, and Angelenos embraced him because of it. Kobe’s competitive drive, will to win, and eternal desire for greatness has been dubbed the “Mamba Mentality” after Kobe’s famous nickname, the Black Mamba.
Kobe is the first (and likely the last) player to have two jerseys retired with the same team. His greatness transcended multiple eras as he led the Lakers to three consecutive titles in the early 2000s (wearing number 8) then two more to end the decade (wearing number 24). Whether relegated to playing with broken or dislocated fingers, Kobe was feared. Opponents never relished the idea of facing Kobe, especially in the playoffs. But unlike the intimidating physique of seven-foot centers or broad-shouldered power forwards, Kobe was feared because of his tenacity and offensive versatility. Kobe’s efficiency with both hands and creativity in the post meant that all dogged film study and mental and physical preparation were futile.
On the court, Kobe was relentless in his pursuit of championship glory. For at least ten of his illustrious twenty-year career, Kobe was unquestionably the best player on planet earth. His manic determination resulted in the following awards and accolades:
• seven appearances in the NBA Finals
• five championships (2000-2002, 2009, 2010)
• nine First Team All-Defense selections
• MVP award (2008)
• third on the all-time scoring list• eighteen All-Star Game appearances• four All-Star Game MVP awards
• eleven First Team All-NBA selections
• two Olympic Gold Medals
• 2x NBA scoring champion
Off the court, Kobe was equally devoted to non-sports related endeavors. Immediately upon retiring from the NBA, Kobe dove headfirst into film production. He worked with musical genius John Williams, animator Glen Keane, and won an Academy Award for his animated short film titled “Dear Basketball.” Kobe developed Dear Basketball at Granity Studios, his Costa Mesa, California production studio. Kobe created the term “Granity” which represents ‘greater than infinity.’
Reporters cherished the opportunities they had to sit down with Kobe because of his brilliance and acute attention to detail. His volume of shot selection on the court was rivaled by the depth of his answers to reporters off it. Kobe was a storyteller, and his passion for sharing authentic stories and improving the lives of children motivated his creation of the Wizenard children’s book series. As articulated by Granity Studios, “In everything he built, Kobe was driven to teach the next generation how to reach their full potential. He believed in the beauty of the process, in the strength that comes from inner magic, and in achieving the impossible.”
Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash on Sunday, January 26, 2020. One of the world’s sharpest minds is gone but never forgotten. Kobe’s legacy of excellence will live through eternity.
