Tanya Lee | I was wrong about Kobe

I had just woken up on Sunday afternoon and began scrolling Instagram when I saw Ato Boldon’s post. He wrote “Thank you, Mamba” below a photo of Kobe Bryant. My eyes darted to a follower comment that read, “RIP Kobe, a great loss”. My WhatsApp was flooded with messages. I was instantly numb.

You just don’t think it’s possible. One of the world’s greatest athletes gone so suddenly at 41 years old. To see such a colossal, seemingly immortal figure reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye reminds us of our mortality. Just that weekend, he was the subject of headlines as LeBron James had surpassed him on the all-time scoring table. It reminds us that nothing lasts forever.

Kobe’s legacy is unquestionable. He inspired legions of fans globally with his incredible work ethic and mental toughness throughout his career. His ability to practise for lengthy hours, then play, then practise again was well documented. His drive yielded five NBA titles. But it drove a wedge in some of his relationships, notably with Shaquille O’Neal, whom he criticised just last year for not hitting the gym enough.

But none of that matters now. This week, I’ve learned that the world lost a great human being because as it turns out, Kobe was much more than basketball.

Truth be told, I was never a ‘Kobe fan’. Maybe it’s the sexual assault charge in 2003. Maybe it’s the aloof persona he embodied as he patterned Michael Jordan. Maybe it’s because he didn’t pass the ball enough. The script I followed said Kobe was selfish.

Or maybe it’s my own human failing. In sports, we’re taught that we somehow have to choose. We must choose one team. We must crown one king. It’s either Pele or Maradona, Ronaldo or Messi, Lebron or Kobe. I had long chosen LeBron, whom Kobe had met 22 times, winning 16 of those encounters.

Now, none of that matters.

What matters most is what I’ve come to learn this week about Kobe the father, the friend, the neighbour. Kobe was incredibly accessible off the court. He did pass the ball, notably to his daughter, Gianna, also known as ‘Gigi,’ who had dreams of becoming a player herself. Kobe supported women’s basketball, showing up at WNBA games with his late daughter, whom he was coaching, alongside other aspiring hopefuls at his Mamba Academy. Kobe was launching the next chapter of his life as a mentor and children’s author all while guiding the next generation of female talent. Women sports mattered to Kobe because he was a dad of four girls, or a ‘girl dad’ as he is now affectionately called.

Kobe’s mentorship went beyond the NBA. On his Instagram account, Justin Gatlin wrote: “We just talked big bro … I’m speechless and hurting. I’m thankful for your life and guidance.”

Allyson Felix recalls how they spoke lengthily during the 2008 Olympic Games and that “it takes a special individual to make so many people feel seen”. Various reporters speak of how Kobe showed a genuine interest in their life and family. His business mentor recalled how he logged on to Periscope to watch his children bury their goldfish because he knew it meant something to them.

Kobe was also there for the children of his former teammates. One is Matt Barnes, who shared a video of Kobe coaching and mentoring his twin boys in a surprise visit. On Sunday morning, before his ill-fated helicopter crash, he was texting Shaquille O’Neal’s son about basketball.

Bryant also made time for strangers far away from the glare of the media. Many now recall how he would quietly make his way to the bedside of cancer patients to offer support to the families through the tough times. These were not documented public-relations visits either. These stories have now been shared by many of those families to highlight the warmth and genuine caring nature of a man that had used his 41 years to great effect. Walk good, Kobe. One love.

Tanya Lee has over 10 years’ expertise as a Caribbean sports marketer and is also an athlete manager and publicist.