It still feels surreal to even think it. Even more surreal to type it. But January 26 marks five years since the passing of Kobe Bryant in a horrific helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. Bryant, his daughter Gianna and other members of Gigi’s basketball team were headed to Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks for a game. Bryant, who was 41, served as his daughter’s coach.
Bryant continues to leave a lasting legacy of one of the greatest players of all-time, a scorer and competitor who could be seen in Michael Jordan’s reflection. Bryant carried strikingly similar competitiveness, completeness, movements, mannerisms. In a December 2014 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a free-throw from Bryant pushed him by Jordan on the all-time scoring list. He missed MJ’s ring count by one, stamping his own legacy as a leader and carrier by winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010 in addition to the three that he won alongside Shaquille O’Neal at the start of the millennium.
Five years later, and we’ve seen the legacies of Giannis and Jokic stamped. We’ve seen Luka, we’ve seen the birth of Edwards and Wembanyama, and the twilight of James, Durant, and Curry.
The likes of Westbrook, Harden, Durant, Curry, Paul George, Kyrie Irving and Kawhi all crossed over with Bryant. James and Chris Paul are strong links - Paul, who was nearly dealt to LA to join with Bryant in 2011, shared a competitive kinship with his peer, and James upon entering the NBA in 2003 became Bryant’s natural rival and the next man up. Irving had a special bond. Trae Young was young Gigi’s favorite player.
Five years later, and the basketball world still mourns. Old players have gone, and new players have come. The game has changed.
Nine years since his retirement, and yet we still yearn for the competitive nature of Kobe. We miss the skill repertoire. We long for someone like him to make an appearance, with the same drive, tenacity, will, and skill.
But that is what made Kobe, Kobe. That is what made him unique, what made him a model for others to emulate. It is what endeared him to generations of basketball players and fans.
And it’s what makes the world miss him to this day.
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