Tributes in wake of Bryant’s death cement his legacy as one of the greatest on and off the court

Disbelief and shock gripped the country Sunday afternoon when a helicopter, carrying Kobe Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, known affectionately as Gigi, crashed on the way to an AAU basketball practice, killing all nine people on board, according to ABC News. 

Kobe Bryant was already in the news on Sunday morning as Lebron James had passed him on the all-time scoring list Saturday, but the records and the points became irrelevant when the news broke. As tributes to his legacy, not only as a player but as a father, husband, mentor, and man of integrity poured in, everyone was reminded of what an incredible light was lost.

Players across the NBA each found their ways to pay homage to the future hall of fame member. Trae Young,  Atlanta Hawks’ All-Star point guard, wore a No. 8 jersey — one of the two numbers Bryant wore for the Lakers — instead of his customary No. 11.  He also held the ball and purposely got an 8-second violation, one of the common quiet salutes around National Basketball Association during Sunday’s game. For example, the Washington Wizards were one of many teams holding the ball for the full 24-second shot clock, an intentional rules violation to honor Bryant’s other jersey number.

The self-dubbed “Black Mamba” inspired a generation of rising stars, including players and coaches for Lipscomb’s basketball teams.

Senior guard Michael Buckland chimed in on Twitter, “I’m shook. Love always. You never know when you won’t be able to love someone again. RIP Mamba”

Sophomore guards Jake Wolfe and Alex Jones also tweeted their sadness over the passing of this legend.

“Unreal. Way too early man,” Wolfe commented in a series of tweets.

“There’s no way,” added Jones. 

This fall Bryant will be inducted posthumously into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, as reported by USA Today.  Normally a class of players chosen for the Hall of Fame ballot are elected before being honored. Bryant’s entry will bypass the election process.

Throughout his 20-year career, Bryant finished with five NBA championships, two finals MVP awards, and 18 NBA All-Star recognitions.  The lone dark spot in his career was a 2003 sexual assault charge stemming from an incident at a Colorado resort.  The charge was dismissed and there was an out-of-court settlement. He publicly apologized to his accuser.

He emerged from that though to mature and become among the nation’s greatest proponents and financial supporters of women’s sports, basketball in particular.

Bryant’s talents extended into film, television, and music, as the superstar wore several different hats through the years, even winning an Academy Award in 2018 for his film “Dear Basketball.”

Bryant leaves behind his wife Vanessa and daughters Natalia, Bianka, and Capri, and it is this legacy of father and husband that meant the most to him. 

Gianna Bryant, 13, who died with her dad in the crash, was verbally committed to play college ball to national powerhouse UConn.  The Lady Huskies set aside an empty seat on their sidelines Sunday, decorating it with flowers and other memorials.  Since her dad was the self-dubbed “Black Mamba” of the NBA, Gianna Bryant was dubbed “Mambacita,” a name her dad had trademarked.

Kobe Bryant had told his friends that Mambacita not only would be a star at UConn, she would go on to become a WNBA standout.

The significance of Kobe Bryant’s impact is just beginning to be grasped by fans and his on-court cohorts and particularly in the world of women’s basketball.

As Bison player Jake Wolfe wrote: “Way too early, man.”