Examining Kobe Bryant’s Legacy
Remembering The Greatness Of Kobe Bryant
On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant died in a tragic helicopter accident along with his daughter, and members of her school basketball team. Yesterday would’ve been his birthday. Kobe was more than just a great basketball player, he was a father, a husband, and a son. But what he will be remembered most for, is how he thrilled fans all over the world and inspired thousands of young basketball players that would follow in his footsteps. He will not be forgotten because he managed to cement his legacy as one of the greatest to ever play the game.
I am a lifelong basketball fan, but I never cheered for Kobe Bryant while he played. The reason why is because I grew up watching the Toronto Raptors. In the ’90s Vince Carter was all the rage in Toronto, and when he broke into the scene some believed that he would be a greater player than Kobe. I was one of those people. I resented the fact that the Lakers were so successful with Bryant as the head of the snake.
Kobe would go on to shatter beliefs like those as the championships, and records that he set would make Carter’s legacy look pale in comparison. I remember in 2006 when Kobe came to Toronto and scored 81 points much to the dismay of all the Raptors fans watching the game at the time (myself included). For those reasons, I decided that I would not “be a Kobe fan”, which was for all the bandwagon jumpers, who liked to cheer for teams that win all the time. I was not one of those, I was a loyal Toronto fan, no matter how much my team lost!
But when the news broke that Kobe had passed away suddenly in that crash, I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I realized that the basketball world had just lost one of its greatest competitors of all time. Even though I was never a huge fan, I always had a tremendous amount of respect for the man. It is very rare to find a person who has accomplished true greatness and he was one of the few.
In this article, I want to examine two things: His accolades on the basketball court and the influence that he had on a generation of younger basketball players.
Kobe’s Career Accolades
After being drafted into the NBA straight out of high school in 1996, Bryant didn’t waste time making an impact. He was at the time, the youngest player to ever play an NBA game (at the tender age of 18). During the all-star game that year he played in the All rookie game and won the slam dunk competition (also becoming the youngest person to ever do that).
In his second year, he would go on to become the youngest NBA starter of all time. That would be the first of 18 NBA All-Star games that he would go on to play in. By the time he was in his second and third year, he was already being compared to the likes of Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. But it was not fame that Kobe was after, what Kobe wanted more than anything was to compete and win at the highest level.
In 1999 Kobe and Shaquille O’Neal would form a powerful duo that would win three consecutive championships, achieving the allusive “three-peat” that is the mark of a true basketball dynasty. He would then win another two championships in 2009 and 2010. Kobe later commented that his goal was to win 8 in total, he would fall just one shy of the great Michael Jordan who had six to his name.
Bryant was able to compete, and win at the highest level, and lead multiple teams to the promised land. The blood sweat and tears required to accomplish such feats show the level of competitiveness he had, this man was a true warrior.
I don’t want to bore you with statistics and mundane details but it is impossible to write about Bryant’s legacy without mentioning his accomplishments.
Inducted into the hall of fame in 2020
18-time All-Star
2-time scoring champion
5 time NBA champion
15 time All NBA player
12-time All-Defensive Player
1996–97 All-Rookie
4-time All-Star MVP
2-time Finals MVP
2007–2008 MVP of the league
Kobe’s Impact On The Next Generation Of NBA Players
As you can see Kobe’s accomplishments are vast. But, I believe that his most lasting impact will be from the players that considered him their mentor. You see, in order for Bryant to achieve all that he did he needed to have a will to win that was unmatched, and to master the game the basketball.
A champion has to have courage and a killer instinct. That’s why one of Kobe’s nicknames was the “Black Mamba” named after the poisonous snake. He was considered an “assassin” in that he made so many game-winning shots. This mentality was something that a lot of young players gravitated towards. Players such as Antetokounmpo, Trae Young, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Demar Derozan, and Jayson Tatum are just a few of the athletes that idolized, looked up to, and modeled this great man. After retiring he would go on to do workshops with many of these young men, transferring the mindset, and methods that he had spent so many years refining.
I remember watching an interview where Kobe was asked what the key to his success was. He remarked that most players would train 2 times a day, he realized that if he woke up earlier, at around 4 am he would be able to sneak in an extra workout, and train 3 times a day. He would in effect be training 50% more than his competition, that over a long period of time is how he was able to master the game of basketball. It is not simply about improving, it is about improving at a faster rate than your opponents do.
I am sure that along with the practical and technical skills he also passed on the habit of sheer hard work to his disciples. That is how many of those players whom he mentored have become MVPs, All-Stars, and Champions in their own right. Players like Kawhi Leonard and Antetokounmpo are known for their relentless work ethic.
Bryant’s disciples will then go on to teach other young players what they have learned, and so it will continue. Kobe’s true legacy will be felt for years because he was able to transmit his mentality, skills, and work ethic to others. This is a sign of greatness, that one is able to not only achieve it himself but also teach others to achieve it as well.
Lastly, Kobe will forever live in the hearts of fans like me who witnessed his greatness first hand. They will know that no one will ever be like him and that they were truly privileged to be able to experience him in their lifetime. His fans will be inspired every time they think of him, knowing that the surest path to greatness in any field is hard work and a relentlessly tough mindset.
