What Kobe Meant To A Black Girl Who Never Played Basketball

Imagine this. You move to a foreign country that is more than 24 hours away from your hometown in America. You are thrusted into a new community in which you are constantly classified as "other". You fiend for your life on a daily basis while swerving in and out of lanes to avoid speeding motorbikes. You consistently sweat through your clothes amidst 100-degree weather and to top it all off, you wake up only to find that NBA Legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Bryant have tragically passed away.

This was a tough pill for me to swallow as I could not quickly turn to another person to outwardly mourn. When I went to school for my first day of teaching in Malaysia, I did not have the ability to express my heavy heart to another individual. They simply did not watch American basketball or grow up with the culture so they did not understand. Ideally, one would share the impact that Kobe Bryant has made on their life and be received by their community with understanding and open arms. This was not available for me, so I decided to turn to my words.

Growing up, I would consistently hear children yell, “Kobe”, whenever they would throw a paper ball in the trash can. I have to admit, they had impressive follow-through for eight-year-olds. Kobe Bryant was a huge part of my childhood, even though I had no interest in playing professional basketball, or even casual basketball during recess. He was a cultural icon whose dedication to the game was recognizable and respected.

Bryant was a consistent force to reckon with both on and off the court with a career spanning two decades. Bryant won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, was named the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and was a two-time NBA Finals MVP winner. From Lamar Odom to Shaquille O’Neal, Bryant connected with his peers and served as a source of support, motivation, and light. Off the court, he was a philanthropist, willing to assist those in need off-camera, with no need for widespread recognition. Most importantly, he was a father, a #girldad, who was proud of his girls, no matter how many times a misguided fan would suggest that he “needs” to have a son to continue his legacy. Gigi was to carry the torch.

Kobe would often coach Gigi’s middle school basketball team and she was described to be a beast on the court. She had dreams of playing in the WNBA and for the University of Connecticut’s women’s basketball team. She was on the fast track there with her father proudly guiding her. An inspiration to all little girls who were told to sit in the stands instead of play on the court, Gigi was an example of resiliency and confidence. These qualities often took years to develop, but she had them at the age of 13. Her career should not be defined by the question, “What if…”, but by the statement, “What was”. Let’s be honest, Gigi had the ability to wash a lot of people who are reading this sentence right now, myself included. You can’t compete where you don’t compare and she was incomparable at an early age.

Basketball is a distinct component of American culture, specifically Black American culture. There will always be a basketball court in the hood. Communities join together to watch others play, and you’ve probably watched your father or uncles try to relive their childhood dreams of becoming basketball players while narrowly escaping a sprained ankle or broken hip. With Kobe’s dedication to the game that he passed down to Gigi, he shaped what basketball and the NBA represents. The NBA represents an opportunity for the extraordinary to happen. A little boy from Philadelphia could go from playing on a concrete court to playing in a stadium with thousands of fans chanting their name. Everything is a possibility. If you can dream it, you can achieve it. I want to close this by thanking Kobe and Gigi Bryant for allowing their lights to shine in an unpredictable way, through a basketball, touching generations. You both will always be remembered.