Kendan Bendt
Reporter
This past Sunday, Jan. 26, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his 13 year old daughter Gianna and seven other passengers aboard a private helicopter perished in a crash resulting from a heavy layer of fog. There were no survivors in the crash.
Bryant is survived by his wife, Vanessa Laine Bryant, and their other three daughters.
In terms of basketball, Kobe Bryant, aka the “Black Mamba,” stands out amongst the cream of the crop. His accolades speak for themselves. In 20 seasons, he was selected to 18 NBA All-Star teams, and won 5 NBA championships.
In his career playing for the US in the Olympics, Bryant won two gold medals with the US team.
Bryant is currently 4th all time in points scored, and 3rd all time in assists by a shooting guard.
His individual stats show the dedication and years of hard work Bryant put into the game.
The NBA, as well as basketball itself, will sorely miss Bryant’s influence. By all accounts, he remained an influence on young players currently in the league, and did much for the expansion of the game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, league MVP of the 2018-2019 season, who trained with Bryant over the summer, remarked on Bryant’s legacy, saying Sunday was a “horrible day… for basketball, for everybody.”
A horrible day, indeed. The sports world at large will mourn the untimely passing of Bryant for years to come.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo stated that Bryant would be enshrined as a first-ballot Hall of Famer in the class of 2020.
