Today it’s all about the shocking news of Kobe Bryant and his 13 year old daughter, Gianna dying yesterday in a helicopter crash, totally heart breaking! Kobe was a father of 4 girls but only Gigi was with him. I remember in 1995, right after the O.J. Simpson murder trial, L.A. switched gears and the city was excited about a high school kid named Kobe Bryant joining the Lakers. I was at his introduction Press Conference and I’ll never forget his smile, yet he was so shy he could hardly speak. However, Kobe never turned down an interview. One sad note, for unknown reasons Kobe and his dad, Joe had been estranged for last couple years. His wife, Vanessa was visited yesterday by Cookie Johnson, Magic Johnson’s wife and Kobe’s best friend. F.Y.I. Vanessa was introduced to Kobe by Snoop Dogg during a Snoop video. Love at first sight.
Final Thoughts and Insights: One month before he was born in Philadelphia, his dad ordered a Kobe steak at a Japanese restaurant and said it was so good, decided to name his son Kobe. Kobe was the All Time Pennsylvania High School scorer beating out the Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain’s High School record. He was the youngest player to ever play in a NBA All-Star game. And Kobe also won an Academy Award for producing Dear Basketball, a Children’s movie just last year. No other Athlete won as Oscar.
I also covered Kobe’s sexual assault trial in 2003 in Eagle, Colorado, where charges were later dropped. He was also smart, scored 1080 on his SAT test during his senior year. Kobe was loved world wide, 10 million people stayed home to watch his final game in China. Kobe is the fourth athlete I had the pleasure to know that died in air crashes along with golfer Payne Stewart and baseball players Roberto Clemente and N.Y. Yankee Thurman Munson. I saw Kobe play hundreds and hundreds of games, he was the greatest I ever saw play, for me, as good as Michael Jordan. Kobe Bryant (41) The Black Mamba, may he rest in peace.
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