Even though it’s been more than a year since that tragical January 26th, Kobe Bryant’s presence continues to be felt around the NBA.
From the younger players to the veterans, it seems like there isn’t a week where someone pays tribute to the late Los Angeles Lakers legend or at least tries to keep his legacy alive on the court.
That’s why it was so heartwarming to see so many players around the league wearing ‘Mambacita’ apparel in the wake of what should’ve been Gigi Bryant’s birthday, once again paying homage to The Black Mamba and his family.
Furthermore, Chris Paul opened up about the matter and dug deeper into what Kobe Bryant has meant for the NBA and its players, vowing to support his widow Vanessa and his family in any way they can to help them cope with that terrible loss:
“Kobe and GiGi (were) so meaningful to this league. We always talk about ‘this (is) a brotherhood’. And Kobe has meant more to this league than a lot of other players, and I think the players understand that. So Vanessa, we all a part of that family and we just try to support her and the family as much as we can,” the Suns point guard said.
Kobe is no longer among us and that’s something most NBA fans – myself included – still can’t fathom. It just doesn’t seem real and somehow, someway, we just refuse to let that sink in.
At least, we can rest assured that his name will never be forgotten and that his legacy and the Mamba Mentality will live on around the NBA until the end of time, as the players just won’t let that go away. Even if we can’t see them anymore, Kobe and Gigi will forever be with us.
