Kobe Bryant Death

There are not many words that can describe the absolute shock the sports world had following the tragic death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. Kobe, his daughter Gianna, and seven other victims were killed in a helicopter crash on January 26th, 2020. Kobe Bryant was 41 and his daughter Gianna was just 13.

Kobe Bryant was drafted into the NBA in 1996. He was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th pick in the first round. Kobe did not play a single game with the Hornets, and was traded a few days later to the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant quickly became a fan favorite and dominated the league with his incredible work ethic. 

He quickly was given the nickname Black Mamba and his work ethic was known as Mamba Mentality. Mamba Mentality stands for more than basketball. It means to out work everyone, and by doing that, anything is possible. It means that anything is achievable. He received this nickname from the movie Kill Bill in which the snake, known for its agility and aggressiveness, is used as a code name for a deadly assassin.

 Bryant has many awards. He was a 1x NBA MVP, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 12x All-defensive Team, 15x All-NBA Team, along with many other smaller awards. 

He also received an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film called Dear Basketball.

Bryant will be greatly missed not only in the basketball community, but across the globe. Kobe Bryant did so much more than basketball and was always a helping hand to everyone he met. He impacted the lives of so many children and showed how to be a great parent, husband, basketball player, and a man.