Shereen Ryan – Staff Writer
Kobe Bean Bryant. The Black Mamba. “Kooobeee.” There are so many ways to reference one of the most prominent Lakers who ever lived.
When Kobe entered the NBA, I was pregnant with my first future basketball player. Four years later, my second basketball player was born—both girls. I have always been a huge Lakers fan.
The fact that we are both parents of girls and the way he loves and reveres them has kept me connected to Kobe Bryant.
My youngest idolized Kobe, painting her room purple and yellow and proudly displaying her Bryant bobblehead collection, her Lakers clock and trash can, and her Kobe No. 24 and No. 8 jerseys hanging in her closet. Then came that dreaded day when the infamous reports from Eagle, CO came to light.
Blue Man Hoop
We were all in denial. My then-eight-year-old started defending him to her friends at school, so we had to have “the talk.” I dreaded the conversation, didn’t want us to have this talk at such a young age, but the kids at school were graphic and anything was better than that. “But mom, why is everyone so angry? What does ***k mean?” It is a day I’ll never forget and one of the hardest days in my life.
The look on her face after I explained it to her and the barrage of questions was difficult; she was so young to try to grasp the concept. Then the slow dismantling of her room that ensued broke my heart.
We all had to realize he was human. I remember his press conference like it was yesterday; he was apologetic, tearful, and remorseful. Truth be told, we may never know the extent of his guilt in this situation—it will remain a mystery.
I’ve spent every day since that conversation trying to come to grips with cheering for and supporting Kobe Bryant on my favorite NBA team of all time, truly bleeding Purple and Gold.
I think Kobe and I are good now, especially after I watched his interaction with his family and witnessed his greatness as a basketball player for the last time in person from the fourth row last year. I will keep in my memory each and every championship win, especially the last one against the Celtics in the last minutes of the game to hold on to, and forget any transgressions.
I am happy that he finally realized his body cannot keep up with his drive to win. I will be looking forward to seeing what he uses his fame and fortune to accomplish in this next phase of his life. He is a Lakers phenom, a part of Lakers history, and I thank him for all the great memories and for becoming the man I always wished he could be.
Next: Karan Karia, Staff Writer