Tag: Kobe Bryant

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From My Seat Sports

Kobe Mattered

CREDIT: NBAE/Getty Images

Like much of the world, I was shaken by Kobe Bryant’s death on January 26th. I was on the road to Atlanta to help my daughter catch a flight for a semester abroad when I learned the basketball legend — can legends be so young? — perished in that helicopter crash with eight others, including his own 13-year-old daughter. In the days since, I’ve found some lessons Kobe left us. I’ll share eight of them (in respect to one of his Los Angeles Laker uniform numbers) as I continue to process the tragedy.
NBAE/Getty Images


• Ego can be good. Bryant was outspoken about his desire to have a better NBA career than Michael Jordan’s when he was 18 years old. (Jordan still had two championships to win with the Chicago Bulls.) In a sport flooded with ego, Bryant’s was outsized, but it became his fuel. He gave himself a nickname (Black Mamba) and it may be the best in basketball history, this side of Doctor J. And by the time his NBA career was complete, Bryant’s combination of supreme talent and competitive fire was of a kind that can be compared with only one other player: Jordan.

• Your number is you (not the other way around). I initially found it absurd that the Lakers retired two jersey numbers in honor of Bryant. Then I looked closer. The points Bryant scored wearing numbers 8 and 24 would rank fifth and sixth, respectively, on the Lakers’ career scoring chart. (Behind jerseys worn by Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, and Magic Johnson.) Bryant decided to make a mid-career statement with his number change and added two championships to the three he’d won wearing the first number. Two numbers, one heart.

• It’s the recovery that counts. Whatever happened in that Colorado lodge in the summer of 2003, it wasn’t good for the Bryant brand. Rape charges were eventually dropped, and a civil suit settled. The superstar lost a lot of fans that summer, and it’s up to an individual to decide if sexual assault can be forgiven. The fact that Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, stuck with him, that they had three more children, that Bryant was clearly active in his four daughters’ lives . . . these are indications of a man’s growth. The ugliest of mistakes can be overcome.

• Daughters make a man. Kobe Bryant was a different man the day he died from the man who first became a father — to a baby girl — in 2003. I have two daughters myself, and I know this transformation. Bryant discovered a form of beauty, grace, and most importantly, strength, he didn’t know before his daughters arrived. May the hashtag #girldad live on.

• Stay curious. Already fluent in Italian and Spanish, Bryant learned just enough Slovenian to properly trash talk young Dallas star Luka Doncic from a front-row seat at a recent Lakers-Mavericks game. That competitive fire again. Doncic speaks English. Conventional barbs would have sufficed. But Bryant wanted to be distinctive. He wanted to be heard. He wanted to be understood.

• Respect goes both ways. Bryant’s Lakers lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the last game Kobe played at FedExForum (on February 24, 2016). With the outcome decided and less than five minutes to play, Bryant entered the game . . . strictly to salute a fan base that didn’t even exist when his career began in 1996. The man who holds the single-game scoring record in that arena (60 points in 2007) made thousands of friends for life that night.

• Don’t be satisfied. Bryant won an Oscar, for crying out loud. He was the first African American to take home the prize for Animated Short Film (Dear Basketball in 2018). Kobe Inc. may well impact the world after the passing of its founder and namesake. Perhaps the saddest part of Bryant’s death is the fact that it came not at the end of a life stage, but at the very beginning of one.

• Today matters. This is the most obvious and important lesson, of course. Gianna Bryant should be making plans for high school, helping her younger sisters find their own distinctive paths. Spend every day with someone you love. If you can’t be in the same room with them, connect. You won’t even need to say, “I love you.” They’ll know. And that’s enough.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Beat the Suns; NBA Mourns Kobe Bryant

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Phoenix Suns 114–109 on Sunday night. But basketball was the furthest thing from most minds after the tragic death of NBA great Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Bryant, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli Alyssa Altobelli,Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, and pilot Ara Zobayan in a helicopter crash in California.

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins really didn’t want to talk about the game that had transpired before 17, 214 fans. All he wanted to talk about was the loss of Bryant. “Gutsy win by our guys, but I’m not really in the mood to talk about the game as much,” he said. “Obviously, today is a very tough one for a lot of people  —  the NBA community, the basketball world, the Bryant family, the families of those who have lost family members in a horrific crash today. I said it before the game, it’s obviously something that you don’t wish you were talking about.” 

Jenkins continued with his praise of Bryant, “Basketball-wise, to lose a legend, to lose an individual who made a profound impact on the court and off the court not only in the Los Angeles community, but globally. Kobe stood for so many great things  —  greatness, competitiveness, drive, commitment, inspired generations. So many of our young guys have been touched by what he paved the way for. There are really no words.” 

No words is really what many in the NBA community and fans around the world are feeling at this moment. It hit hard. 

Jenkins went on to say, “I’m fortunate to be up here today to be able to speak on behalf of our organization, our players. Words only mean so much. It is going to be tough to overcome, but hopefully everyone rallies around not just the families and the organizations, but everyone that has been touched by Kobe and his legacy. He’s carved an unbelievable path. As I said, I wish we weren’t talking about this today but we do have to find a way to celebrate. It’s very raw and emotional right now. Today’s game pales in comparison to the new reality we face without one of the best in the game.”

It was a raw emotional day after the news broke of Bryant’s demise. NBA games were still played and private grief became public. 

Larry Kuzniewski

Ja Morant

Prior to tip off, the Grizzlies and the Suns honored Bryant with a moment of silence. After the Grizzlies won the opening tip, Ja Morant dribbled the ball for 24 seconds for a shot-clock violation, then the Suns’ Ricky Rubio held the ball for eight seconds for a backcourt violation to show respect to Bryant. Bryant wore numbers 8 and 24 during his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Everyone was on their feet chanting, Kobe! Kobe! Kobe! A very emotional moment in FedExForum. 

Grizzlies Beat the Suns; NBA Mourns Kobe Bryant

After the game, Jenkins explained the tributes to the fallen star. “When the news broke, you’re shocked  —  you don’t know what words to say, Jenkins explained. “My mind went immediately to those who had relationships with him, coached against him, coached with him, played with him, played against him. Finally, we got around to we have to be able to honor him at some point in our small part. A lot of credit goes to our head video guy, T.C. Swirsky. He talked about jersey 24. Can we somehow take a shot clock violation?”

Jenkins went on to say, “I contacted Monty [Williams] and he was thinking the exact same thing. I went over there and talked about how we could, in our small part, pay tribute. Unbelievable by our fans. Obviously, our organization doing a moment of silence, but the fans to chant his name. The players on the court to recognize the impact that those two possessions could have to bring, hopefully, a celebration in a very, very tough time. As I said, I think other teams are doing the same thing. It’s our small part. Now it’s on us to continue to celebrate this beautiful legacy gone way too soon.”

The Grizzlies won the season series against the Suns 3–1 after Sunday’s victory and improved to 22–24 on the year. 

Morant scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, to go with eight assists and five rebounds. Dillon Brooks added 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists. In 34 minutes, Jaren Jackson Jr. also tallied 20 points while going 7-of-12 from the field and 3-of-6 from the 3-point line, along with three rebounds and two blocks before fouling out late in the final period. Brandon Clarke chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds as a reserve. 

With the loss, the Suns dropped to 19–27 for the season. Devin Booker led all scorers with 36 points, five assists, and two rebounds. Kelly Oubre Jr. tallied 27 points, nine rebounds, and three assists while going 8-of-19 from the field. Deandre Ayton posted his 11th double-double of the season with 17 points, 15 rebounds and two assists. Former Grizzlies player Jevon Carter added eight points, two assists, and three steals off the bench.  

Quotables
Jaren Jackson, Jr.

On playing today after hearing of Kobe Bryant’s passing:

“To be honest, I didn’t feel like doing it, to keep it 100. You’ve got to be a pro. That’s what 2–4 (Kobe Bryant) stood for and there’s no better way to go out there and honor him than to play pro basketball and do what you love, so that’s what we did today. Both teams.”

On what Kobe Bryant means to him:

“Just for the game of basketball and in general and in life, he’s an icon and someone who we all saw growing up. Through all his runs, through everything, he was able to teach and to bring back to the younger playing through camps and Nike, just being able to do a lot. His impact is something that you can’t really fathom because it’s just so great. It definitely hurts.”

On whether playing the game helped him cope and forget about the loss of Kobe Bryant:

“No, it didn’t to be honest. It still hasn’t helped me forget. You ever just know you have to do something so you just try to figure it out and you find a way? That’s what we call it every day. You find a way o go out there and put your best effort out there, and thank God we got a win today. Despite the circumstances, I’m glad we came together as a team and got the job done.”

Who Got Next

The Grizzlies will host the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, January 28, at 7 p.m.

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From My Seat Sports

Frank’s Top Five Memphis Sports Moments of 2016

Continuing my countdown of the 10 most memorable sporting events I attended in 2016.

5) Tigers 62, UAB 55 (December 10) — Let’s hope this renewal of a longtime regional rivalry becomes a permanent part of the U of M schedule. Gene Bartow, remember, founded the Blazer program. (The teams hadn’t played since Memphis left Conference USA after the 2012-13 season.) The Tigers fell behind by nine points early in the second half, but rallied behind the dominant play of sophomore forward Dedric Lawson. With 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 blocks, Lawson came within two rejections of the program’s fourth triple-double and just one from tying the Tiger single-game record. It was Lawson’s seventh double-double in nine games, and 24th of his career. His next would tie him for 10th in Memphis history.

4) Cardinals 11, Mariners 6 (June 26) — You might say I followed Tommy Pham from Memphis to Seattle. Having injured himself playing for St. Louis on Opening Day, Pham had recently been promoted to the big club after a stint with the Redbirds. During a visit with my sister’s family, we made our way to Safeco Field on one of those sunny Sundays the Pacific Northwest does so well. Matt Carpenter homered in the top of the sixth to give the Cardinals a 6-3 lead, but the Mariners tied things up in the bottom of the inning. Over the next three innings, though, the Cardinals hit five solo homers to secure the win. Tommy Pham hit two of them.

3) Redbirds 7, Nashville 6 (August 25) — This was Grizzlies Night at AutoZone Park. Rookie Wade Baldwin threw out the first pitch, and the Redbirds wore jerseys that reflected the color and style of their NBA brethren. (The blue cardinals on the bat were disorienting if not unsettling.) Rehabbing slugger Matt Adams clubbed a two-run homer in the first inning to give last-place Memphis a lead over the first-place Sounds, but Nashville took a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth. Centerfielder Harrison Bader led off the inning with a home run to tie the game. Five batters later, Jose Martinez came to the plate with runners at first and second and two outs. He slapped a hard grounder up the middle that was snagged by the Nashville second baseman. But the throw to first was late and bounced off Martinez’s heel, allowing Breyvic Valera to score from second for the victory. A mob scene ensued around Martinez in short rightfield. The standings don’t matter in walk-off celebrations.

2) Tigers 48, Houston 44 (November 25th) — Mike Norvell’s first regular-season as Tiger coach ended with a holiday showdown at the Liberty Bowl against 18th ranked Houston. The Tigers scored on their second snap of the game, a 67-yard connection from Riley Ferguson to Phil Mayhue. By halftime, the underdogs were up 34-17. Houston scored the first 20 points of the second half, though, forcing Memphis to come back — twice — in the game’s final five minutes. Ferguson hit Anthony Miller on a 35-yard strike to regain the lead for the U of M (41-37) with 3:49 to play. But Cougar quarterback Greg Ward led a 75-yard drive to put Houston back on top with 1:29 on the clock. A deep pass to Mayhue and a pass-interference call set up the Tigers’ game-winner: a 10-yard slant by Miller, hit in stride by Ferguson with 19 seconds left. The victory gave Memphis three straight seasons with at least eight wins for the first time since 1961-63.

1) Grizzlies 128, Lakers 119 (February 24) — A man with five NBA titles and more career points than anyone not named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Karl Malone took the floor one last time at FedExForum. In many respects, Kobe Bryant was Public Enemy Number One over the Grizzlies’ first 15 years in Memphis. No player scored more points against the Griz than did Bryant, and the 18-time All-Star holds the single-game scoring record at FEF (60 points on March 22, 2007). But on this night, Kobe was king and the Bluff City his court. With less than five minutes to play and the outcome decided, Bryant entered the contest one last time. This was atypical of a man as fiercely competitive as any athlete of his generation. It was entirely for Memphis fans. One last goodbye. The Black Mamba getting sentimental on us. Who would have thought?

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From My Seat Sports

2016: A Year of “Endings” in Sport

It may be only July, but I can’t recall a calendar year with as many significant losses (measured a few ways) in the world of sports. In one month alone — a span of 26 days in June, to be precise — the world lost Muhammad Ali, Gordie Howe, and Pat Summitt, each the face of his or her sport for multiple generations, transformative figures whose impact somehow exceeded their achievements in the arena of competition. Come December, these three will lead reviews of “those we lost” and not just in sports media.

Tim Duncan

But there are two other endings in sports, both traumatic in their own way to athletes and their fans. One is retirement, often called “the first death” for a person accustomed to the cheering of thousands as part of a workday. The second is the departure of a longtime franchise icon for another city and uniform, the shedding of one fan base — accompanied by emotional outbursts from one extreme to another — for a new band of loyalists ready to, as Jerry Seinfeld would have hit, cheer “the laundry” that much more.

Come November, five certifiable NBA superstars — each with at least one MVP trophy, either for the regular season or NBA Finals — will not be wearing the uniforms we grew to see as an extra layer of skin over the last decade.

• Laker legend Kobe Bryant retired in April, having completed the first 20-year career spent entirely with a single franchise in NBA history.

• Five years after earning MVP honors at the age of 22 with his hometown Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose was traded to the New York Knicks, the NBA’s island for misfit toys.

• After 13 years and three NBA titles with the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade signed a two-year deal to essentially replace Rose as the face of the franchise in Chicago.

• In the biggest free agent exodus since LeBron James departed Cleveland for Miami, Kevin Durant waved goodbye to Oklahoma City — his professional home for eight years — and joined the Splash Brothers in Golden State, forming the greatest shooting trio in NBA history. How many shots Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are prepared to give up for Durant will be a swing factor in the latest super-team’s championship aspirations.

• Finally — and this felt most final among the NBA endings — Tim Duncan announced his retirement after 19 seasons and five championships with the San Antonio Spurs. No player in basketball history is more the perpetual Face of the Franchise than Duncan. The Celtics had Russell and Bird, the Lakers West, Kareem, Magic, and Kobe. Even Michael Jordan spent two seasons in a Washington Wizards uniform. A century from now, Tim Duncan’s will be the name NBA fans identify with the Spurs. His absence next season will be glaring, even if San Antonio wins a sixth title.

The Boston Red Sox will soon be searching for a new designated hitter, David Ortiz having announced his retirement after already accomplishing the unthinkable by winning three World Series in a Bosox jersey. At last week’s All-Star Game, the American League dugout emptied for players to hug Ortiz individually as he was removed for a pinch runner. Baseball gets endings better than most sports, perhaps because the institution has been around so very long, and seen so many departures.

Shortly after the All-Star Game rosters were announced, I tweeted my view that the game would be diminished without St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina in uniform. (Molina had been named to the team the previous seven years.) A few of my followers — Cardinal fans, most of them — liked the sentiment. One expressed dismay, though, pointing out Molina’s pedestrian numbers (.259 batting average, two home runs). He didn’t deserve to be an All-Star.

That critic was right, of course, as we measure sports season to season. There are (at least) three National League catchers with better numbers this season than the eight-time Gold Glove winner behind the plate in St. Louis. There are shinier stars with more popular “brands” than the 34-year-old backbone of two world championship teams, Molina’s best days likely behind him.

But that wasn’t the point I aimed to make. Molina is to the Cardinals as Ortiz has been to the Red Sox, as Wade was to the Heat and (to some degree) what Duncan was to the Spurs. Furthermore, like Bryant, Duncan, and Durant, Molina has enriched his sport by his level of play over an extended period of time. But that time is approaching its end. And it’s an ending I, for one, will not greet with enthusiasm.

All good things must come to an end? 2016 may already have its epitaph.