Kobe Bean Bryant, also known for his moniker “The Black Mamba”, a professional basketball player who played as shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers franchise for his entire 20-year career. Straight out of high school, he was the 13th overall pick in the loaded 1996 NBA draft. This draft class included MVPs – Steve Nash and Allen Iverson – and fellow All-Stars – Ray Allen, Ben Wallace, Stephon Marbury, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jermaine O’Neal, to name a few.
Though it was the Charlotte Hornets who drafted the Mamba, it was the Lakers who was truly interested in the seventeen-year-old rookie. Prior to the draft, the Hornets and the Lakers had already agreed that the latter will trade their starting center Vlade Divac in exchange for Kobe. And as history will tell us, Kobe played his entire NBA career with the Lakers where he sported the jersey number 8 during his early years and the jersey number 24 when he supposedly transformed into the Black Mamba.
Over the years, Kobe developed into a complete player, famous for his scoring ability, defensive intensity, relentlessness and tenacity. With all these in his bag, Kobe won five (5) NBA championships – three (3), during the Lakers three-peat with Shaq, and the other two (2) with Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and the rest of the crew. As an individual, he earned two (2) Finals MVP, was hailed as the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2008 and was named as the NBA All-Star Game MVP four times (thus the All-Star MVP trophy was named after him). In addition to that, Kobe had also been an All-Star for 18 times, had been named to the All-NBA First Team 11 times, All-NBA Defensive First Team nine (9) times, and was a two (2) time scoring champ, NBA Slam Dunk contest champion, Olympic gold medalist and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Moreover, Kobe also gifted us with a handful of memorable moments during his illustrious career that stretched two decades. From his Eighty-One (81) point career high performance against the Toronto Raptors (second all-time) to his Sixty (60) point last dance game versus the Utah Jazz, to his numerous buzzer-beaters and game winners, these moments are forever entrenched in basketball history.
My personal favorite was his shot against the Miami Heat over rising All-Star Dwayne Wade. With 3.2 seconds left on the clock and the score at 107-105, Miami leading by two, Ron Artest inbounded the ball. Artest passed to Bryant who was heavily defended by Dwade. With a second left on the clock, Kobe pulled up for a three, the buzzer sounded, and the ball went it after banking on the board. A classic, but a very Kobe Bryant moment.
Surely, these accolades and achievements made Kobe a top 10 player of all time. However, Kobe’s legacy in the hard court is defined not only by these statistics and trophies. One of his most enduring contributions was his “Mamba Mentality”, a mantra centered on hard work, focus, resilience, showing up daily and continuous improvement. That success came from enduring challenges and obstacles, learning from failure, having an indomitable spirit and pushing oneself beyond one’s limits. This philosophy and mentality have inspired and resonated not only with athletes but also with professionals and competitors in other fields. According to Kobe, Mamba Mentality means “trying to be the best version of yourself. Every day you are trying to become better.”
Kobe’s legacy is one of excellence, discipline, and lasting influence that reaches beyond the basketball court. He was not only a basketball legend but a global icon and an inspiration to many. Thus, in January 2020, the entire world was held in shock when news about a helicopter crash purportedly with Kobe, her daughter, Gianna and seven others as passengers filled the internet. When the sad news was confirmed and verified, fans around the world grieved and mourned over the tragic and untimely demise of the Mamba. It was one of the “I still can remember where I was when I heard about it” moment.
Years after his passing, Kobe’s impact and influence has remained strong and is still deeply felt. Athletes across different sports and professionals in all kinds of fields still find inspiration in his Mamba mentality. Fans all over the world still remember him and his undying legacy. And being one of the million kids who grew up yelling “Kobe!” every time we throw our trash in the bin or our used clothes in the laundry, Mamba will always have a special place in our heart. Thank you, Bean!