A Tribute to Kobe Bryant
Recently, I was speaking to my sister about the sudden, tragic passing of Kobe Bryant—the name on every news outlet. She recounted something she saw on social media that read, “An entire generation of kids grew up yelling, ‘Kobe!’ as they tossed their trash into a bin.” It resonated so deeply with me that my heart hurt, because only one night prior, I yelled, ‘Kobe!’ as I tossed a balled-up piece of foil into my trash can.
Looking back on his life, my friend Winnie said it best, “In his early days, Kobe wasn’t always the easiest to root for.” He made mistakes. But the beauty of his story is that it did not end there. He continued to improve—not just as a player, but as a person. He will long be remembered for the twenty years’ worth of stats that distinguished him from most players in the league—but he will long be loved for the man he became—a #girldad, a coach, a mentor, a wonderful husband, a successful author, and an entrepreneur in film and venture capitalism.
In his second act, retirement, Kobe elevated his career. He began by launching Granity Studios in 2016, a multimedia production company that would act as a “as a platform to create and share original stories to inspire today’s young athletes” in response to “surprisingly little content that combines the passion of sports and the traditions of original storytelling.” It was through creative storytelling, Kobe won the Academy Award for best short animated film he wrote and narrated entitled, Dear Basketball.
Ultimately, Kobe’s story is that he lived an inspirational life—one that was gripping not simply because of what he accomplished personally and professionally, but because of his character transformation from beginning to end. In the final act of his career, Kobe transitioned from being a hero in the NBA to a guide whose reach extended far beyond the bounds of a basketball court.
In a moment of ironic foreshadowing, Kobe Bryant said goodbye to us all in this excerpt from Dear Basketball:
“This season is all I have left to give.
My heart can take the pounding.
My mind can handle the grind
But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.
And that’s OK. I’m ready to let you go.
I want you to know now
So we both can savor every moment we have left together.
The good and the bad.
We have given each other
All that we have.
And we both know, no matter what I do next
I’ll always be that kid
With the rolled up socks
Garbage can in the corner
:05 seconds on the clock
Ball in my hands.
5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1″
(We) love you always, Kobe.
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