Mamba Forever - A Kobe Tribute
There are some things that just go together. Peanut butter and jelly. Salt and pepper. French fries and ketchup. Kobe Bryant and the city of Los Angeles.
Everyone knows by now that Kobe, his daughter Gianna and seven others were tragically killed in a helicopter crash earlier this year, turning the world upside down.
As someone who grew up in L.A. rooting for the Lakers, mesmerizing over the greatness of Kobe and Shaq, it hasn't been easy for me to articulate and process Kobe's death. But I am going to try here.
In the months since that awful day on January 26, the city of L.A., and people all across the world, have come together to mourn the death of a legend. The tributes, the murals, the donations have all truly been beautiful to see.
Kobe is not from L.A. He was born in Philadelphia and also spent a large portion of his youth in Italy. But he represents the city I love so much as well as anyone that has ever lived.
The Lakers acquired Kobe on draft night in 1996 when he was just 17 years old, and he proceeded to spend his entire 20-year career with the organization, winning five championships on top of countless other accolades.
While the winning was great and created some awesome memories in my life, that isn't the reason that Kobe represents L.A. and the people here were so drawn to him.
Whenever people think of Kobe and his lasting legacy, usually the first thing that comes to mind is his work ethic. Mamba Mentality, as he called it. He wasn't the most naturally gifted or the most athletic player ever, but nobody worked harder to perfect their craft than Kobe. The stories of his work ethic are everywhere, and honestly wouldn't be believable if there weren't so many of them from so many different people.
I can tell you for a fact that I wouldn't have the work ethic and drive I have today if it wasn't for watching Kobe every night, and that even includes his post-playing career. He stepped off the court for good in 2016 and proceeded to win an Oscar and an Emmy in addition to writing books, investing in businesses, countless philanthropic work as well as being the best dad possible to his four beautiful daughters and the best husband to his wife Vanessa.
It's no secret that L.A. is a transplant city, with people from all across the world coming to pursue their dreams, whether it be film and entertainment, music, fashion, media, business, etc.
L.A. is such a fast-moving city that if you are not working hard and doing everything you can to make your dreams a reality, you simply won't make it. And that is why the city resonated with Kobe Bryant so much.
He represented and embodied the city in every way possible, which is also why his death has been so difficult to process. His Mamba Mentality is in all of us. He was our superhero.
Kobe taught us that pain is temporary, but legacy is forever. And that is why that even though he is gone at the young age of 41, he will live on forever in all of us.
Not a day has gone by since Kobe's death that I haven't thought about him in some way, whether it be shooting a ball of paper into a trash can and yelling "Kobe!", going to the gym when I didn't feel like it, or putting in those extra hours working on the weekends when many others are out having fun. Kobe has changed my life for the better, and I'm absolutely positive that millions of others can say the same. And for that, I sincerely thank him.
Mamba Forever.
Written by Daniel Starkand, Senior Writer/Editor for LakersNation
