KOBE BRYANT'S DEATH (IMPACT)

A recent news item that caught my attention was the sad passing of Kobe Bryant. The NBA legend died in a tragic helicopter crash along with his beloved daughter Gianna Bryant. The helicopter crashed into a rugged terrain in Calabasas, California. It still hasn't been discovered how the helicopter came crashing down. There were nine people inside the aircraft including Kobe and his daughter Gigi.

This piqued my interest because Kobe inspired millions of people around the globe and his death was so sudden it shook the whole basketball world. This impacted a lot of basketball players because Kobe was the reason they started to enjoy watching and playing the game. Another reason this caught my interest was that I wanted to see how people reacted to his death. I know that sounds really sad when I say it that way but I mean no disrespect. I wanted to see how his death would affect not just the basketball community but the whole world.

This was a huge impact on the world because Kobe was one of the players that revolutionized the game of Basketball. I'll say once again he was the reason most people got into basketball. This was such a huge impact because Kobe was the bridge from the Michael Jordan era until the likes of Lebron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry showed up. Maybe Shaquille O'Neal was more dominant in the courts and Tim Duncan provided a more consistent foundation for championships, but Kobe's greatness and popularity made him the most important for both the fans and the next generation of players that followed his footsteps into the NBA. After Michael Jordan retired Kobe was the next MJ. Some kids didn't know Michael Jordan at all in their world they only knew of Kobe. Paul George didn't know much about MJ but in his eyes Kobe was His Jordan. Kobe was the person that was going to link Michael Jordan's teaching to the new generation just like how he once drew inspiration from MJ. The other Legacy Bryant carried from Jordan was TV appeal. That meant sellouts in the Staples Centre and a gigantic local TV rights for the Lakers. That's how much Kobe impacted the Basketball Community and the world.

Kobe's death made me think about my life and what I still haven't done. He makes me want live my life to the fullest with no regrets. I'm going to try and have that Mamba Mentality. I'm going to have the impact, the mentality, the aggression, and the work ethic that he had.