KATHMANDU, Jan 28: Kobe Bryant- Two powerful words in sports, yes not just in the sport of basketball, but the whole wide world of sports. The name and the man had a lasting impact on the lives of so many around the world.
A person, whose dedication to mastering his craft and striving to achieve perfection, left many of his generation in awe and continues to inspire young people in leaving no stone unturned in the pursuit of excellence and the dedication it takes to reach the pinnacle of not just your own game, but sports as a whole.
An outstanding individual on and off the court, a family man through and through, Kobe Bryant was to millions a role model, an inspiration and a former basketball player that transcended the game and made an impact on the lives of so many around the world.
What made Kobe so special? It's hard to point at just one thing when you are talking about such a great individual and person who has done so much in the game of basketball, a name that is synonymous with the NBA for millions around the globe, for he was one of the dominant superstars at a time when the NBA was actually taking off on the global stage.
It was Bryant, Shaquille O Neal and the Lakers who were introducing brand NBA to the global audience and they didn’t half disappoint. The Lakers won 3 NBA Championships' in a row at the beginning of the Millennium and Kobe went on to add two more at the end of that decade. He played the game with a unique free spirited style that had panache and fearlessness, which helped shape the NBA into the global sport that it is today.
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By the time he had finished with his 20-year playing career, a career that had begun straight out of high school and into the spotlight of the NBA, he had won it all.
5 times NBA champion, 2 times Olympic champion, 18 All-star appearances, 4 All-star MVP's, 1 Regular season MVP, 2 times Finals MVP, 12 times NBA all Defensive team and 2 times scoring champion. These accolades alone make Bryant one of the most elite athletes to have played the game of basketball, but that's not all that made him the global icon that he was.
What made Kobe stand out from the elite sporting personalities of any era is his much talked about mentality. This is the one thing that puts him right up there with the most elite professional athletes of all time. He was also affectionately also known as 'Mamba' by his many adoring fans due to his famed serpent like focus and strong mentality.
It’s this 'Mamba Mentality' that will forever live on as Kobe's legacy. He gave his absolute all that he could every single day, whether it be in training or during games. Kobe Bryant gave his one hundred percent and he expected the same from his team mates at all times.
This may have been the reason that he might have not been the most popular team-mate, but that is what made most of his team mates successful. That unrelenting drive for success and the extra work behind the scenes made him so successful in his art and the mamba like mentality to finish off opponents will be remembered by basketball fans for years to come.
A gentleman off the court - a good husband, father to 4 beautiful daughters, an Oscar winner, host of his hit show 'Detail', Kobe had a lot going on in his life post retirement.
He still had a lot to give before he passed away a couple of days back in a helicopter crash near his home at the age of 41, just 4 years into retirement. He was with his 13 year old daughter Gianna and 7 others in the crash. He is survived by his wife Vanessa and 3 daughters.
The man was a true sporting great and the many moments of joy and ecstasy that he gave to millions around the world will ensure that his legacy will live on forever, not just in the lives of so many that he has touched but for generations of basketball and sports fans to come.
A person who never gave up on anything in his life, Mamba will continue to live on in the hearts of millions of fans forever.
