I don’t know if I’ve completely wrapped my mind around what has happened. The sad reality that many of us don’t want to accept, but have no choice.
I was born in 1996, the same year Kobe Bryant was drafted into the NBA as an 18 year old. Do you know what that means? I was blessed enough to have the privilege of watching Bean throughout all his prime years. I had the privilege of watching Bean overcome what were practically two career-ending injuries and shake back. I had the privilege of watching Bean give the greatest farewell performance of all time, and I had the privilege of listening to him talk basketball through countless episodes of his ESPN Detailed series following his retirement.
I’m not going to sit here and say that Kobe was my favorite player at any point in my now 23 years of basketball fandom, because he wasn’t. Being a Dallas native, I always rooted against Kobe because he was a Los Angeles Laker and the Lakers were an enemy of the Dallas Mavericks. It wasn’t until January 26, 2020 where I actually realized just how influential Kobe Bryant was to my now unconditional love for the game of basketball.
Sean Grande, Boston Celtics’ radio play-by-play announcer said “As Celtics fans, we didn’t think Kobe Bryant could break our hearts one more time. We were wrong.” That right there hit home for me and although some of us may not have cheered for him (because I know I’m not the only one), Kobe is the reason many of us began following basketball and it’s impossible to ignore his greatness and what he means to the beautiful game. Whether you were rooting for him as he scorched every NBA squad on a nightly basis, or you were rooting against him as he scorched your squad year-in, year out, one thing everyone could agree on was that the Black Mamba was one of the greatest two guards to ever play this game.
But it’s deeper than that for me. Bean is one of those players that by the time he stepped off the court for the final time, he gained another fan. Another person that truly appreciated his greatness and will forever be grateful for his contribution to the game many of us have come to love. I look at this player whom I once despised and underappreciated, as another athlete that I will forever love dearly.
Number 8 Bean. Me personally didn’t understand number 8 Bean’s greatness. Number 8 Bean was an essential figure to attracting millions in my generation to the game of basketball. Number 8 Bean came into the league as an 18 year old and feared nobody. Number 8 Bean won three consecutive O’Brien Trophies before the age of 25. Number 8 Bean was the name many yelled when shooting the paper wad into the trash can. Number 8 Bean had the reputation by many as “selfish,” but number 8 Bean didn’t care what anyone else thought. He just wanted to win basketball games. This Bean, is the Bean I didn’t appreciate. Number 8 Bean is the player I always downplayed. Number 8 Bean dropped 81 points in a single game, and still I downplayed him. Number 8 Bean had eight all star appearances to his name, and still I downplayed him. “He’s not that good. He was carried by Shaq. He can’t win without him.” That was my mindset. I was wrong. I admit I was wrong. Number 24 however, number 24 Bean was different for me.
Sure number 24 Bean went on to win two more O’Brien Trophies, sure number 24 Bean was a league MVP, sure number 24 Bean was a 10x all-star. I could go on and on with number 24 Bean’s individual superlatives, but none of that matters to me. Want to know when I finally stopped being hard-headed as it pertains to Bean’s greatness? At 34 years old, Bean has logged over 45,000 regular season minutes, Bean against all-odds is still averaging over 27 points per game despite being “old.” I remember watching this Bean school the Golden State Warriors, dropping 34 points and single-handedly keep his team in the game. This Bean made me become a fan forever. This was my favorite Bean moment. Bean suffered a grade 3 rupture of the right achilles tendon (which means a complete rupture of that tendon), a horrific injury for any athlete, let alone one on the back end of his/her career. This same injury that we’ve seen many athletes have to get carted off for as they are unable to walk on it; number 24 Bean didn’t allow that. Number 24 Bean with no right achilles tendon, stepped up and not only knocked down two clutch free throws to tie the game, but then proceeded to walk off the court under his own power.
It doesn’t stop there, number 24 Bean rehabbed the next nine months, came back from an injury nobody thought he could, and then suffered a season-ending knee injury the following season. Imagine fighting that hard to come back from an injury many consider “career ending,” only to be sidelined another season by another injury. You’re 35 now, your body is falling apart. IT’s time to hang it up after a legendary career. Nah, number 24 Bean fought back again. Number 24 Bean went on to make the basketball world completely disregard that one of the most historic seasons by an NBA franchise had just been accomplished on his final farewell. Number 24 Bean went out with a bang.
That my friends is what I, an aspiring athlete looking to be great in my own sense at the time, came to love the most about Kobe Bean Bryant. His determination, his relentlessness, his vow to give EVERYTHING to basketball that he possibly could. How can one hate on that? How did I hate on that for so many years? That is the epitome of being an example to millions looking up to you. Not everyone can be 6’6, not everyone can be blessed with as much skill; but anyone can be like you in the sense of they want to give every ounce they possibly can to the game they love. Number 24 Bean gained a lifelong fan in me following that achilles tear and will forever be loved.
At this point, it’s about more than basketball. If you’re looking for me to spew out his stats and accolades, I’m not going to do that. We all know everything he accomplished in his 20 years in the NBA. For me, it’s about what he left behind after giving EVERYTHING to the game of basketball. It felt like he was just getting started with life. It felt like we, as basketball fans were just getting to know Kobe Bean Bryant, the person. Kobe Bean Bryant, the educator and most importantly, Kobe Bean Bryant, the dad. My heart mourns for Vanessa and those daughters he leaves behind. I pray that God gives them every bit of strength to carry on. I pray for the families of the other victims that were involved. I look at things like this and want to ask “Why?” But I can’t. We can’t question God’s timing on things regardless of who is involved. All we can do is accept it and trust the timing. Regardless of how we felt about you during your career as a player, we all came to love Kobe Bean Bryant in the end. Salute Bean, thank you for your contribution to all of us and may you and your daughter, and the rest of the victims involved rest in heaven.