Even though he is no longer with us, Kobe Bryant’s greatness lives on. January 26, 2022, was the two-year anniversary of his passing in a terrible helicopter accident in Calabasas, California.
The Sikorsky S-76 helicopter crashed at 9:45 am Pacific Standard Time in 2020 killing Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, six family friends, and the pilot Ara Zobayan. The group was traveling to Camarillo Airport in Ventura County for a basketball game at Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks. Over a year after the crash on February 9, 2021, the NTSB stated that pilot Ara Zobayan probably became disoriented after deciding to fly into thick clouds. They also found that the pilot ignored his training and violated federal regulations during the 40 minute flight.
A public memorial service was held on February 24, 2020 (2/24), marking both Kobe’s and Gianna’s jersey numbers) at the Staples Center with Jimmy Kimmel hosting. Speakers at the ceremony included Kobe’s wife Vanessa, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O’Neal, along with Laker fan, and Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi, and Geno Auriemma, Taurasi’s coach at Connecticut, where Gianna had been aspiring to play.
All these memories from two years ago take me to more memories. When Kobe first came on the scene in 1996-1997 I was amazed at how calm and great he looked on the floor. He was only 18, playing in front of millions each night, and wasn’t scared at all. His Lakers couldn’t compete his first two years with Michael Jordan being in his prime and winning championships. But Kobe’s minutes and points per game average steadily increased each year until he and fellow All-Time-Great Center Shaquille O’Neal started dominating the league.
From 2000-2002 they ruled the league like no other pair had by winning three straight championships. They didn’t just win, they crushed the competition. They had the most dominant run in NBA history in the 2000 playoffs when they won the championship with a 15-1 record, with their only loss coming to Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the Finals.
Two years later, after the 2003-2004 season, Kobe had to redefine his Superstar status when Shaq left to join the Miami Heat. This ended up being my favorite part of Kobe’s career, in that he had to learn how to play without Shaq for the first time. From then on he had to play as the lone superstar on a team needing answers. He had to consistently score more points each year and exert more mental energy until a mid-season trade for Pau Gasol in 2008 changed their fortunes.
The Lakers finished the 2007-2008 season with 57 wins, which was a 15-game improvement from the previous year. Kobe was named the Most Valuable Player of the NBA for the first time, as the Lakers didn’t have much trouble getting to the NBA Finals. They renewed their storied rival with the Celtics in the Finals but lost in six games. Kobe showed his greatness by averaging 30.1 points per game, but it wasn’t enough. As the final horn sounded Bryant vowed to get revenge.
In the 2008-2009 season, Kobe led his Lakers to first place in the Western Conference with a 65-17 record. In the Finals that year Kobe was the MVP, scoring 30.2 points per game, as the Lakers destroyed the Orlando Magic 4-1. Then in the 2009-2010 season, the Lakers did it again. They had a fairly easy road to the Finals, but all easiness ended at that point. Kobe and the Lakers had a rematch with their bitter rival the Boston Celtics. Kobe’s quest for revenge was completed, as his legendary status continued to grow while he became the MVP of the Finals for the second straight year. The Lakers won 4-3 with Kobe averaging 29.2 points per game.
Kobe would never make it to the Finals again, but his status as one of the All-Time-Greats continued to grow. The Black Mamba, the nickname given to Kobe, continued to make the first team All-NBA team through the 2013 season. He was an All-Star every year until his retirement in 2016. Along with the Gold medal he won in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, he also helped the USA win Gold in the 2012 London Olympic Games. He continued to have an average scoring amount in the high 20s, and be one of the top players in the NBA through the 2012-2013 season when he tore his achilles tendon at age 34. His next two seasons were cut short by injuries to his knee and shoulder which led to his retirement in 2016.
The accolades he accomplished during his career are unmatched. His career statistics include scoring 33,643 points with a 25 point per game average, 7,047 rebounds and 6,306 assists. He was the Naismith High School Player of the Year in 1996, the 2008 NBA MVP, an 18 time NBA All-Star, a four-time NBA All-Star game MVP, an 11 time All-NBA First-team selection, elected nine times to the NBA All-Defensive 1st team, a two time NBA scoring champ, the NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champ in 1997, and made the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
His Nos. 8 and 24 are retired by the Los Angeles Lakers. On January 22, 2006, he scored a career high 81 points; the second most points scored in one game in NBA league history, behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962.
After he retired, Kobe devoted his life to loving his family, even more, helping others through philanthropy, teaching basketball to many, and making the world brighter to many. He was dearly missed in 2020, is dearly missed now, and will never be forgotten.
Article by: Chris Steele, iHearts143Quotes Team member
