I grew up watching Kobe and Shaq when they were chasing their first championship in 1999-2000 and through them I became a Laker fan. I was like in 1st or 2nd grade. Since then, I’ve seen everything on tv and never gone to a game, never owned a jersey, never owned a shoe or any kind of sports wear like a lot of kids today.
It wasn’t until my senior year of high school I finally saved up to get a pair of Kobe V’s in a unique Purple and Gold color-way right after they beat the Celtics in 2010. I fucking wore that shit every time I played with friends bc I always played in vans lol.
The first time I saw him in person was the first Laker game I ever got to go to. It was his last Christmas game a few weeks after he would announce his retirement. And even though he didn’t play or score that much, I think he scored like 12 or 15. But Ik Larry Nance Jr scored on his own basket lol. But just seeing Kobe so far away I still couldn’t believe it. I don’t think I ever over analyzed a pregame warm up but I just felt like all the kids that get to watch Steph do dribble workouts or shoot insane 3 pointers. I just turned 22 a few days before that game and it meant the world to be in LA to be at Staples and to finally see Kobe.
Waking up to the news on Sunday was heartbreaking. I don’t think I’ve ever had that feeling of loss before. I cried when he retired but welcomed change bc he was still going to be around at the time. But this is just on a different level. I don’t think I cried so much in one day being someone a few years away from 30.
Bc of him I’ve been going to the gym at 4am for a couple of years. Never having the best parents to teach me about hard work, through Kobe I’ve understood what it takes to dedicate myself to something Im passionate about or a goal that I want to accomplish but now that he’s gone I don’t think I will ever get to learn more from him.
RIP Kobe and GiGi