KOBE Bryant is dead at age 41. Too young to go. He left behind a legacy of winning five NBA (National Basketball Association) titles, two Olympic crowns, two NBA Finals MVP plums, one league MVP and 18 All-Star stints.
His daughter, Gianna, 13, also died when their chopper crashed in Calabasas, California, on Sunday.
Bryant isn’t just an NBA legend. He was a wonderful person and a Roman Catholic to the core.
After reconciling with his wife, Vanessa, following their divorce in 2011, the couple put up the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation (KVBFF) dedicated to helping young people in need, encouraging the development of physical and social skills through sports and assisting the homeless.
Bryant survived the stigma of a rape charge that a judge had dismissed in 2003.
He settled out of court from a civil lawsuit but still, with his reputation tarnished, numerous sponsors abandoned him.
He issued a public apology.
He sought counsel from a priest, who told him: “Let it go. God is not going to give you anything you can’t handle.”
Bryant was only 17 when he was drafted into the NBA. In his 20 years as a Los Angeles Laker, his all-around skills became the template of many aspiring players.
On his last playing day on April 13, 2016, at age 37, he scored 60 points, retiring as the NBA’s third most prolific scorer of all time.
Said Michael Jordan, the greatest player ever to whom Bryant is lavishly compared: “I loved Kobe, he was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often, and I will miss those conversations very much. He was a fierce competitor, one of the greats of the game and a creative force.”
Said Shaquille O’Neal, Bryant’s Laker teammate: “I’m sick right now...there’s no words to express the pain I’m going through.”
Before the ill-fated flight, LeBron James passed Bryant for third place in an NBA game in Philadelphia, Bryant’s birthplace.
In a touching show of humility, Bryant tweeted LeBron: “Continuing to move the game forward @King James. Much respect my brother.”
James shed tears as he walked away from the Lakers plane that had just landed in Southern California.
Bryant’s passing is another reminder of the grim truth that life is short.
Hug and kiss your family. Always.