January 26, 2026, marks six years since one of the most tragic days in basketball history, the untimely death of Kobe Bryant.
Kobe, his daughter, Gianna Bryant, and seven others passed away when their helicopter crashed into the side of a mountain in Calabasas, California, on this day in 2020. Here are all those who lost their lives.
– Kobe Bryant
– Gianna Bryant
– John Altobelli
– Keri Altobelli
– Alyssa Altobelli
– Christina Mauser
– Sarah Chester
– Payton Chester
– Ara Zobayan
Kobe was 41 at the time of his passing, while Gianna was just 13. The news shattered the NBA community, and in some ways, it still hasn’t fully recovered to this day. It was just that big of a loss.
Kobe was a colossus in the basketball world. He had achieved all there was to in his career, winning five NBA titles, two Finals MVPs, one MVP, and two scoring titles with the Los Angeles Lakers. He made 18 All-Star, 15 All-NBA, and 12 All-Defensive teams, but this wasn’t all he did.
Kobe inspired an entire generation of hoopers with his relentless drive for excellence and his passion for basketball. He was also a mentor to many, instilling his “Mamba Mentality” in all those whom he had chosen.
To go with all this, Kobe was doing his bit to help the growth of women’s basketball. He was a huge advocate of the women’s game and even served as the coach for Gianna’s AAU team. The two were, of course, headed to a girls’ basketball game at the Mamba Academy when disaster struck.
Gianna had dreamed of playing at UConn and eventually in the WNBA. Kobe was doing everything he could to help her achieve all of that, but fate had other plans.
While Kobe is no longer with us, we do have his words to live by. Unfortunately, one of his most memorable remarks hits you hard on a day like this.
“The biggest mistake we make in our life is thinking we have time,” Kobe said.
So, the goal then should be to live your life to the fullest, and that was a message Kobe sent as well.
“Have a good time,” Kobe said. “Enjoy life. Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile, and just keep on rolling.”
Those are wise words.
Kobe ventured beyond the basketball world during his life, too. He won an Oscar in 2018 for his film “Dear Basketball,” and you can’t help but wonder what all he could have achieved had he been around for longer.
All that Kobe did in his life has at least ensured that he will live on forever in the hearts and minds of millions around the world.
