IF THERE'S a thing called being a fan from behind, then I would regard myself that. Despite being a hundred percent basketball fanatic, supporting all the way the San Miguel Beermen in the local scene and the Chicago Bulls in the NBA (myself a Michael Jordan buff), there's another NBA player whom I admire as well. He is Kobe Bryant.
It is because my brothers simply adore him. My brother, who is also a terrific basketball player, is a diehard fan of the LA Lakers' main man. From collecting limited edition basketball trading player cards to buying the latest Kobe rubber shoes, he would simply follow everything that Kobe does.
When I watch my brother play on the court, I would see that his moves are downright emulations of Kobe's moves. The way he chews his jersey before shooting the ball, to the way he stoops low when making a free throw, and of course, the way how he sinks in that ball in the net. I would say he my brother voluntarily or involuntarily copies Kobe.
And from that, I am a Kobe fan from behind. I saw how he inspired my brothers to continue their passion for the sport, and how he became a legend by winning the championships for the Los Angeles County, which is also very close to our hearts, aside from San Francisco and San Diego.
When we went to the US in 2008, we delighted ourselves by taking a trip to downtown LA to go to Staples Center not to watch the game (because we can't afford the general admission tickets) but just to feel the vibe from outside during the Game 5 of the 2008 NBA Finals. We knew we had to do that just before the Lakers head back to Boston for the Game 6. The Lakers might have lost then to the Celtics, but that did not dwindle our admiration for the Lakers team, most especially for Kobe Bryant.
I've been astray from the NBA for decades now, and have not cheered on for any team until the Golden State Warriors winning streaks. Most of us were saddened when Kobe decided to retire early in 2016, bowing out as the third-leading scorer in NBA history then (Lebron has just officially overtaken him on the day he died). It's only now that I am coming to know what Kobe has been up to after his retirement, and that even worsens the pain and sadness that I am feeling after the tragic incident that claimed his and his daughter's lives.
Gone too soon, so they say. Seeing pictures and news about the work he has been putting in supporting young talents and how they can develop excellence not only in the field of sports but in everything they do in life makes me want to ask God, "why Kobe?"
Of course, we cannot question the will of the Lord, and maybe a lot of people will agree that Kobe Bryant, despite being gone early, has indeed lived a full life. With his basketball legacy, Kobe has touched the lives of all of us, admiring him from either up close or from afar.
Thank you Black Mamba, words are not enough to pay tribute to you and all the good things and lessons you have imparted to both basketball fanatics and ordinary people alike.