Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Maria Onore Bryant, were among the 9 passengers that perished in a helicopter accident in Calabasas Hills on the morning of Sunday, January 26.
Kobe and his daughter were on their way to play and coach in a youth basketball game at the Mamba Tournament, which was cancelled due to the news that both Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s helicopter crashed on the hillside.
It was a tragic day for many Lakers fans in LA who worshiped and idolized the basketball giant who played all 20 seasons of his (soon to be Hall of Fame) career with the Los Angeles Lakers. The most important thing Kobe gave to this community was his passion and love for the sports world.
He was a role model for many young fans, and his death affected the community as a whole. The people in LA supported and came together as a family to grieve together on the tragic day and the weeks after.
Many fans gathered around the Staples Center to mourn the loss of their hero. The best part of Los Angeles is that mostly everyone is concerned with the sports world, but the Los Angeles Lakers is the mecca that started it all, and Kobe Bryant was a part of that legacy. As an LA resident and long-time Lakers fan, it deeply saddens me and our city as a whole to lose someone so significant whom we watched growing up.
Many of his NBA companions and fellow players all mourned after hearing the news on the Sunday of the helicopter crash. The players were forced to play due to the NBA’s inability to cancel the games scheduled. Teams took 24 second and 8 second backcourt violations in honor of their fallen hero, brother, friend, and mentor’s number he wore when he dominated the basketball court.
His daughter Gianna was also an aspiring basketball player who hoped to play for UCONN and go into the WNBA. The UCONN Huskies took their condolences to Twitter. “Kobe and Gianna meant a lot to our program.
Our thoughts are with the Bryant family,” the team posted. “Mamba Mentality will live on forever, but they are deeply missed.”
Many people have been inspired by the “Mamba Mentality,” including Poly senior Aurelius Cummings, who said, “Kobe was inspiring and wanted people to be the best that they can be.”
We all mourn the loss of Kobe and Gianna as they are a big part of our community and to the world of basketball. We hope to keep all the victims in this tragedy in our prayers.