Basketball as a whole experienced an almost unthinkable loss when a five-time NBA champion for the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, and eight others tragically passed away in a helicopter crash. The event occurred as Bryant was on his way to a basketball game with his daughter, Gianna Bryant, who also lost her life in the accident. As the news about this tragedy spread across the internet, the initial reaction was understandably disbelief. 

It’s hard to think about walking the Earth when Bryant is not. More specifically, it’s odd to think about Bryant in relation to having lost him. Bryant was never a loser of any measure. He made 18 all-star appearances, won a multitude of championships, and his will to succeed landed him in the professional basketball world at the mere age of 17 years old – right out of high school. 

Bryant was emblematic of a drive, a particular work ethic which many refer to as mamba mentality. Kobe was known for being exceedingly intense when he was engaged in battles on the court – not because he was bad-spirited, but because he held so much passion for a game he’d loved as a child. We have the incredible privilege of having been able to witness the greatness that Bryant now symbolizes, which gives birth to the unique weight his namesake now evokes. 

Balancing growing up and an NBA career created meaning for Bryant beyond just being a successful basketball player. As the news of his death broke, NBA games were being played or were soon to begin. Many players broke into tears at the knowledge of his passing, and Kyrie Irving, a player for the Brooklyn Nets, walked off the court and left the game upon learning of Bryant’s passing. Bryant was known to be an extremely close mentor for Irving throughout his career. 

The loss of Bryant is not just a loss for those who knew him but also the basketball community as a whole. There have been many talks of tributes being erected to honor Bryant, something that will naturally occur in time, but even more creative tributes have already been done. Teams have voluntarily taken penalties during games, holding the ball longer than the 24-second possession clock and staying in the backcourt area for eight seconds, to show respect to the two jersey numbers Bryant donned throughout his career. 

The biggest or most involved argument for a tribute for Kobe has seen fans calling for the NBA to change the silhouette included in the logo for the league from former Lakers player Jerry West to Bryant. At this point, it is nothing more than hopes and dreams from fans of Bryant arguing for this change, and the NBA has announced no plans to actually change the logo. But it is worth mentioning how synonymous the game of basketball has become with Bryant’s namesake – so much so that there are already 2 million signatures on a petition to change the logo.

This event will mark the NBA for years to come, as the absence of Bryant is not something that will be easily overlooked. Moving forward, we can expect more full accounts of remembrance for the basketball legend. May he rest in peace.

By the time this is read, Kobe Bryant will have played his last game in the NBA April 13, 2016. He will retire as the greatest Los Angeles Laker of all time, one of the greatest basketball players of all time and one of the greatest athletes of our generation. I haven’t been a basketball fan my entire life, but Kobe was why I became interested in the sport. Watching him play was astounding. He played so relentlessly and with such a combination of reckless abandon and skill that it was truly inspiring. That shouldn’t surprise anyone, as Kobe is one of the biggest worldwide superstar athletes of all time, if not the biggest. This is a guy who can’t go anywhere, from Italy to China to Argentina, without being recognized purely for his skill on the court.

Kobe is arguably the most polarizing athlete of all time, as there really is no grey area with how people feel about him. Either you were inspired by Bryant and you couldn’t find a good reason to root against him, or you hated him because he was destroying your team single-handedly and there was nothing you could do about it. Of course when you are that polarizing and have such a giant spotlight on you, criticism is going to come from everywhere. “He’s selfish, he’s a ball-hog, you can’t play with him,” are common phrases from the critics, and honestly, it might all be true.

Regardless, the guy is the most competitive athlete I have ever seen and does literally anything it takes to win, including holding the ball and alienating teammates. He’s gotten results, too. Five championships, second in career points (over Michael Jordan) and the second highest single scoring performance in NBA history. One can’t deny that Kobe is one of the greatest players to ever step out on the court. Love him or hate him, if you’re a fan of basketball or sports in general, you have to respect Kobe.

I have an emotional connection to Kobe as a fan. He turned me on to my now favorite sport, inspired me in so many aspects of my life and was absolutely a marvel to watch even to the very end. It’s going to be a rough week for me and all other fans of Bryant. I’m going to miss him dearly and probably won’t be able to hold it together when he walks off the floor for the final time. So once and for all, this writer says thank you, Kobe, for giving all that you have to us and to basketball. We love you and we will miss you.