Cementing the Legacy of Kobe Bryant with 22Bet
Whenever you type the name “Kobe Bryant” in a Google search, the first suggestion you see is “death.” Everyone wants to know how this NBA star died, with all the facts and gory details — but how did he live? What dreams had he managed to achieve, and which ones remained forever unfulfilled?
22Bet, as one of the leading sports platforms, decided to go exploring. Its story coverage invites thousands of fans and basketball appreciators on a trip through Kobe Bryant’s legacy.
The Start of Life
Kobe Bryant was destined to be connected to basketball from his very birth. His mother was a sister of a professional American basketball player Chubby Cox, who was drafted by Chicago Bulls.
His father was an actual NBA player who played for 8 seasons. With such a background, it’s not surprising that Bryant began to play basketball when he turned 3 years old.
He loved the Lakers, he split his life between the US and Italy, and he was a huge fan of animated sports movies.
Life was bright and promising, and through his determination and passion, Bryant got to play with a famous basketball coach Jerry Stackhouse when he was still in high school.
The Blossoming NBA Career
Bryant fulfilled the fantasy of millions of sports fans with his example: he began to realize his life-long professional dream by connecting with the Lakers, his most favorite basketball team. That’s who he spent his 20-season career with, tasting both triumphs and losses.
From his first NBA Draft in 1996, when Bryant was just 17, to his success at helping the Lakers win championships from 2000 to 2002 and his 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006, he shone brightly.
He became the Finals MVP two years in a row, and by the time he retired in 2016, Bryant held two Olympic gold medals, 5 NBA championships, and 18 All-Star appearances.
The Closing Chapter of Kobe Bryant’s Life
Bryant spent almost half of his life married to a wonderful woman with whom he had 4 daughters. One of them, Gianna, shared his love for basketball, and Bryant dreamed of seeing her make a name for herself, coaching her and inspiring her.
One day, in January 2020, Bryant and a 13-year-old Gianna were flying to a youth basketball tournament when their helicopter crashed. Both died right on impact.
This tragedy has touched everyone, including people who didn’t actively root for the Lakers or Bryant. 22Bet joined the vigils organized in Bryant’s honor and visited the Kobe and Gianna Bryant Memorial Statue in Los Angeles, witnessing the love and the heartbreak of friends and fans personally.
This statue embodies the legacy that Bryant has left behind. It’s located right near Crypto.com Arena, where the Lakers played, and it shows the father and his daughter embracing, frozen in one lasting moment of perpetual happiness.
Kobe Bryant was more than a star NBA player. He enjoyed rich, active years full of memorable connections, philanthropy, and a family who adored him, and he deserves to be remembered for his life, not his death.