NBA legend Kobe Bryant – who became a larger-than-life figure both on and off the court – has left a lasting impact within the basketball community and beyond.
NBA legend Kobe Bryant – who became a larger-than-life figure both on and off the court – has left a lasting impact within the basketball community and beyond. “There are days I know it’s real, and then there are days where it feels like there are pieces of him that are still here,” his former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Derek Fisher told CNN’s Elex Michaelson in Los Angeles in an interview marking the sixth anniversary of Bryant’s shocking death.
“It’s always strange when we get to this date each year.” Bryant died on January 26, 2020, when a helicopter he boarded along with eight other people – including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna – crashed on a hillside in Calabasas, California. None of the passengers survived. Fisher, who’s now a coach and NBA analyst, spent over a decade playing alongside the “Black Mamba.” He shed light on Bryant’s aspirations, adding that his relentless ambition motivated the other players daily. “He had already programmed himself to want to be one of the greatest basketball players to ever touch the ball,” Fisher said. “He knew that about himself from day one.” Bryant’s ascent wasn’t always smooth sailing, but the star guard remained focused even during the rough patches. There were moments during this time that helped shape Bryant into more than a skilled player, Fisher explained. “It took losing to the Celtics in 2008 to also learn how to become a better leader on a championship-caliber team,” he said, referencing how – even after winning a three-peat with Shaquille O’Neal from 2000-2002 – Bryant always improved. Family man Bryant’s athletic talents and drive are just some of the standout qualities that continue to inspire young generations of athletes. The five-time NBA champion and later philanthropist and film producer is also remembered by his devotion to his family. Michaelson asked Fisher about a particular conversation between the two former Lakers that still stirs strong emotions for the 18-year NBA veteran. The two girl dads were traveling and chatting about a number of topics – including being fathers – and Bryant’s response to a question Fisher asked about how his teammate is “viewing his life, his career, his business,” struck a chord. “He started a statement – he stopped and he said, ‘You know what? I’ll just say it like this. I had to start thinking, how is this decision going to impact my daughters 20 years from now?’” Fisher said. “In a split second, you get it. It was a pretty profound moment of just kind of sharing and vulnerability and a look into how his heart was on the inside around his girls, his family and his wife.” Michaelson then asked Fisher how fatherhood changed Bryant. “Anybody that has girls you’re changed forever,” Fisher responded. “No matter how tough you are or where you’re from, your daughters change you forever.” For Bryant, Fisher said, “I thought it helped him come outside of his own experience and start to think about how his decisions impact other people.” Mamba mentality In regards to the “Mamba mentality,” an enduring motto that epitomizes one of Bryant’s legacies, Fisher shares what he thinks is the crux of it. “It’s all possible if you truly want it and you’re willing to do the work for it,” he told CNN. “Kobe was a human being just like the rest of us. And he decided through his mindset that he was going to outwork, out-train, be more disciplined, be more committed to his craft than others. He was going to master his job in a way that other people weren’t willing to do as well.”
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