In remembrance of that day, the California Post sports staff share their memories of the NBA icon.
In remembrance of that day, the California Post sports staff share their memories of the NBA icon, one of the greatest and most competitive basketball players of all time. Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center on Nov.
17, 2019.Growing up in the Bay Area as a fan of the Warriors and Kings, it felt like my personal NBA mission was to hate Kobe Bryant. After all, he made life miserable for the fans by dominating those franchises, especially the Kings. Yet for some reason, none of those heartbreaking memories prevented me from saying “Kobe” every time I shot a wad of paper into a trash can or tossed a baseball into a bucket. It’s rare that a single athlete can transcend multiple generations, yet that’s what Kobe did.Empire State Building lights up in Patriots colors — and NY is furious While I’ll never forgive him for my early adolescent years, you can bet my two-year-old son will be raised saying “Kobe” when he tosses socks into the laundry basket.After he had missed his first eight shots in January 2015 against the Clippers, I asked the Lakers star if he ever reached a point in a game where he would acknowledge it’s an off night and become more of a facilitator.Kobe Bryant goes up for a dunk against the Golden State Warriors at the Staples Center on March 4, 2001.Bryant eventually spoke, but his reaction delivered the answer. He scoffed, rolled his eyes, and gave me a look like I had asked permission to run over his dog. He went on to say he didn’t play any differently than he normally did. By then, the message had been received.“Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did.” The words above were part of a statement released by Kobe Bryant after sexual assault charges against him were dropped because his accuser refused to testify against him.Bryant was unquestionably a great basketball player who left a massive cultural imprint on both this city and the NBA. He and Shaquille O’Neal temporarily transformed Los Angeles from a longstanding Dodgers town to a Lakers town. His mythical work habits made him worshipped by the generation of basketball players who followed him. However, the rape accusations against him continue to give me pause. More than two decades after the incident in question, I can’t definitively say what happened in that Colorado hotel room, which is why today, six years after his death, I still don’t know the degree to which Bryant should be celebrated.Every athlete in the history of sports has dreamed of putting the perfect punctuation mark on the end of their career, but nobody’s been able to do it quite as perfectly as Bryant did versus the Jazz back in 2016. He hoisted 50 shots, scored 60 points, and had the Staples Center absolutely rocking. The Lakers were able to win, too. While no one will ever forget his 81-point game, that April tilt will always be my most vivid Bryant memory, because it has to be the most ideal finale of any legend’s time as a pro.Finals MVP Kobe Bryant holds up the MVP trophy as he celebrates with his wife Vanessa and daughters Gianna and Natalia after the Lakers won 99-86 to win the NBA Championship against the Orlando Magic in 2009.As a childhood Phoenix Suns fan, I can’t say I have the fondest memories of Kobe as a player . But while working at the LA Times in the wake of his death in 2020, I was tasked to write about his time. The stories I heard about Kobe, the coach — a calming, encouraging, and compassionate presence, according to those who knew him then — struck me as an interesting contrast to the intensity he displayed in his playing days. It was one of the many examples of how he continued to impact people even after he retired.After it was clear Father Time caught up to Bryant, evident by his injury-induced decline in play spanning over a couple of seasons after tearing his Achilles in April 2013, it was poetic to see him have a vintage performance in the arena he had countless in. It remains one of the greatest farewell games in NBA history.Kobe Bryant celebrates after the Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in Game Seven of the 2010 NBA Finals at Staples Center on June 17, 2010.Kobe was my favorite player growing up, and the reason why I wanted to become a storyteller. I wore No. 8 and 24 in all the sports I played, bought all the Kobe Nike shoes, and wanted to write and tell stories about him. Fortunately for me, I got to cover Kobe’s playing career from 2014 to 16. By this time, the Lakers weren’t a championship contender, and Kobe was in the twilight of his career, battling injuries. I missed the 17 years prior when he apparently was prickly with the media. Instead, for his final three seasons, I got the elder statesman, the guy who brought the media in to talk and share stories, and pass the game on to the next generation.Kobe Bryant poses with his family at halftime after both his #8 and #24 Los Angeles Lakers jerseys are retired at Staples Center on Dec. 18, 2017.I knew his final game was going to be a circus, so his penultimate game at Staples Center was a Clippers home game. After his postgame scrum, I walked him to his car. I told him everything I just shared above, and that I would not be a sports journalist or doing what I love as a storyteller without him, and I just wanted to thank him privately and personally. He stopped walking, put his arm around me, and said, “Michael, you have no idea how much that means to me. Thank you for sharing that with me.” I will never forget that moment for the rest of my life.Sean Payton did the unthinkable when Broncos needed him mostSam Darnold leads Seahawks to Super Bowl matchup with Patriots after thrilling win over RamsKobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center on Nov. 17, 2019.Kobe Bryant goes up for a dunk against the Golden State Warriors at the Staples Center on March 4, 2001.Finals MVP Kobe Bryant holds up the MVP trophy as he celebrates with his wife Vanessa and daughters Gianna and Natalia after the Lakers won 99-86 to win the NBA Championship against the Orlando Magic in 2009.Kobe Bryant celebrates after the Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in Game Seven of the 2010 NBA Finals at Staples Center on June 17, 2010.Kobe Bryant poses with his family at halftime after both his #8 and #24 Los Angeles Lakers jerseys are retired at Staples Center on Dec. 18, 2017.
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