As fans, media members, and players share their best memories and moments with Kobe Bean Bryant, we’re getting more of a glimpse of something we already knew: Kobe’s awesome.
And in the midst of grieving, we may have discovered the last photo ever taken of the basketball legend.
13-year-old Brady Smigiel captured a selfie of Bryant on Saturday at the Mamba Sports Academy. Brady, who played in the Mamba Cup last weekend, woke up thinking “Let’s go see Kobe before our games,” his mother Dionne Reich Smigiel revealed CNN. He had no clue it would end up being one of the last ever taken of Bryant alive.
In a chat with CNN, Dionne shared some comments and recalled their encounters with Kobe over the weekend.
“When we are in Newport Beach, Brady makes me drive by Kobe’s gate just in hopes he might be driving out at the same time,” Smigiel added.
After Gianna’s first game, which her team lost 46-29 to Cyfair Nikecoop 2024, Brady came forward and asked Kobe for a selfie.
“He said Kobe was ‘mad they lost’ and wouldn’t take a pic but gave him knuckles,” Smigiel said.
When Smigiel met up with Kobe again during the second game, he was finally able to get the picture the day before Bryant’s death.
Gianna was scheduled to have games at noon and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, she said.
Two other girls in the helicopter that crashed on Sunday, Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester, were also part of that team.
Brady got another chance to ask for a Kobe selfie after the Mambas second game, which they won over Tree of Hope Lloyd team, as the basketball great was leaving the building.
“It turned out to be pretty blurry. “Kobe said, ‘We’ll get a better pic tomorrow,’ ” Smigiel said.
Brady was fortunate enough to snag this last moment with Kobe. It’s likely the last he ever took with a fan.
As the world mourns his death, an outpouring of support has already been expressed by countless individuals. It has really been a tragic time for the community.
