Remembering Good Things About The Former Laker Great
I met Kobe Bryant a few times.
And I always found him to be nice, polite and, while the word humble hardly comes to mind, respective.
Late in his career, I was one of many reporters squeezed around him in the locker room while I was working as a freelancer covering the Lakers for AP Sports. I also attended a press conference at LAX announcing him as a spokesperson for Turkish Airlines.
In the Lakers locker room, he spoke very softly. So softly, in fact, that us reporters had to jam against each other as if we were posting up under the basket and contort to hold out our microphones so we could pick up his answers to our questions.
He did not speak with bravado and did not attempt ignore the media when we walked into the locker room as is – unfortunately – the case with too many athletes.
Instead, he stood there and politely answered every question.
At the Turkish Airlines event, he was more gregarious. Naturally, he was getting paid by a sponsor, but I found him to be very cordial, respectful to his sponsor and to everyone there, including us travel bloggers.
Frankly, after dealing with more athletes during my lifetime that I care to remember (I began my career as a newspaper sports reporter) my expectations were low. But Kobe was friendly, cheerful and did not come across the least bit as being privileged.
I walked away thinking, “I really like this guy.”
So when I learned he was killed in a helicopter crash – at just the age of 41, the day after LeBron James broke his NBA scoring record – I could not help but feel sad. Even more tragic, his 13-year-old daughter was with him, one of four of Bryant’s children.
I am not so sad about this as a fan, but sad as someone who was fortunate enough to get a tiny glimpse into what he was like as a person.
R.I.P. Kobe.
Leave a Reply