Stunning death of Kobe Bryant

Courtesy of Clutchpoints

So picture it, a lazy Sunday afternoon, all three of my daughters upstairs for rest time, wife on the couch taking a nap, and myself just realized I was dozing off with the Pro Bowl 2020 coming on the TV. I look over and see my phone light up with notification after notification. Not knowing what I'm about to read will be mouth dropping and life changing. I look over at my wife and say, "Baby, Kobe Bryant died"!!! She wakes with a puzzled look and checks her phone. Pausing she says, "No...." until realizing it is true. Just about that time the Pro Bowl breaks away for "Breaking News." sure enough, it was true as the news show the wreckage of the helicopter.

Bryant was only two years younger than me and I remember my freshman year of college seeing Bryant get drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, and as quickly as that happened he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. At that moment the game of basketball in the NBA changed forever. I saw Bryant put up 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006 as the Lakers won 122-104. How in the world can he make 81 points and the rest of the team only 41? He outscored his team basically twice. Then his final game at home versus the Utah Jazz, he missed his first five shots, then goes on a run to score 60 points and LA wins 101-96. Is this man even human? He has a game where he tears his achilles, is fouled, and refuses to leave the court until he makes his free throws. Guess that's the "Mamba Mentality" he talks about. Bryant's career lasted 20 years where he won five NBA Finals, was an All-Star 18 of those years, and won two Gold Metals in the Olympics.

Some even speculate that Bryant's helicopter should never have been in the air Sunday morning due to fog in the LA area and dense visibility. But the pilot was cleared to fly. Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and seven other people including the pilot were on their way to Mamba Academy in the LA area for a basketball game that Gigi and other girls that were on the helicopter where playing in.

Bryant has been retired for four years and his first year of eligibility for the NBA Hall of Fame is this year. He was a sure vote in if this accident would have never happened. He is still a sure vote in now even after his death. The rest of this NBA season will be dedicated to him and I imagine the Hall of Fame ceremony will be dedicated to him as well. Games were still played on Sunday and they are still being played, because that is what he would have wanted. Tributes were given by all teams during the games. Both team's first possession purposely gave their team a backcourt violation of either 8 seconds or 24 seconds. Bryant entered the league wearing number eight and ended his career wearing number 24. The Lakers-Clippers game that was suppose to be played tonight at Staples Arena in LA, home to both teams, is the only game postponed to a later date TBD.

Just a sad day for basketball, basketball fans and sports fans in general. I never got a chance to see Bryant play in person, wish I would have. The world lost him, his daughter, and the other passengers on the helicopter way too soon!!! The "Mamba Mentality" will live on!!!

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