Kobe Bean Bryant

Father, Star & Role Model

Your legacy went beyond the court.

Kobe, there is so much to say about the man you were. You are the reason I, and millions of others, became Lakers fans in the first place. That family is something truly special to be a part of.

I remember when you played your last game. I tried to write something up that could encapsulate the meaning of your career so that I could hold onto it forever. Even that was too much.

“I was the American in Italy and the Italian in America, I never really fit in so just kind of did my own thing,” you laughed. That feeling, itself, resonates with so many of us. Since Kobe felt that way, it wasn’t so bad. Actually, it was kind of cool. Imma do me and rock my own swag.

Coming into the league at seventeen, it’s funny, but you actually were a kid. Head feverishly dreaming in the clouds, it’s easy to tell you already saw the end goal of where you would end up. A GOAT. You just needed to put in the sweat to get there. That smile was so youthful, like a kid — with a hemming of dignified maturity — who could make the class crack up in laughter.

You taught the world that nobody should be a bigger critic on themselves, than the person in front of the mirror. As a player, as a man, as a member of society. Strive for greatness, work towards it and be content with the end result. Because when you put it all out there, and I mean all of it, you already are the greatest of all time. You’re the greatest you can be.

To see you be The World’s Best Father to your four little girls — it’s just priceless. Something to strive for. We live in a time when our lives are so busy that we rely upon other people, places or gadgets to raise our kids. Your kids had your shoulders and your ears — legendary ones albeit. That, is the world in nurturing the next generation.

One Mamba gave birth to many more. Your fans — your little Mambas — will make you proud. Mamba, out.