Mourning the loss of NBA super star, Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant: An Inspiration On and Off the Basketball Court

Photo Credit: Inews Network

On January 26,2020, the world lost Kobe Bryant. He was an inspiration to many and will be cemented in history as one of the greatest basketball players ever to grace the court.

Growing up in this generation of basketball, Kobe Bryant was one of the first basketball players that we were all introduced to. He was a role model for many of us, and even if not, he was still one of the most respected celebrities of that time. This loss really hits close to home because he's been a significant figure for all of ours lives, and it's still hard to comprehend that he isn't with us anymore. It seems as if everyone took this loss very personal, as many celebrities and other athletes paid their condolences, either online or on the court.

In the Pro Bowl game, we saw touchdown celebrations inspired by Kobe. In the NBA, players decided to honor Kobe by changing their numbers as well as many teams taking a penalty that results in an eight and twenty-four second violation. Kobe's numbers, eight and 24, have already been retired by some teams, such as the Dallas Mavericks.

Kobe’s influence reached further than just here in America. All over the world he left his mark as seen by the mourning of those all over the world. Having been raised in Italy, he was an inspiration for foreign players who hoped one day to play in the NBA. Kobe had also taken interest in learning about other cultures and other languages. In an instance earlier this season, Kobe was heard conversing with rising star Luka Doncic in his language of Slovenian. This shocked Luka, but shows how much Kobe was invested in learning about new cultures, even if it was just to talk a little smack.

Kobe was not only a great basketball player; he was a great dad who's life revolved around his daughters after his retirement. He was very involved in coaching his second-oldest daughter's, Gianna, basketball team. Unfortunately, she was also involved in the helicopter crash.

RIP. Kobe Bryant.