Kobe Bryant passes away, it’s time for Lakers Nation to unite eras
By Ronald Agers
Lake Show Life celebrates Kobe Bryant’s life the best we can while showing Lakers Nation that it does not matter who you love. Whether it be Kobe Brant or LeBron James, Lakers Nation is family.
Kobe Bryant was passed by LeBron James last night in a loss to Philadelphia for 3rd place in NBA’s all-time scoring list. The next day, Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash.
This was supposed to be a different article. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Kobe Bryant is in the news for a reason that makes every typed word filled with tears and genuine heartbreak.
Kobe Bryant perished Sunday along with his daughter, Gianna, in a helicopter crash. He was 41, she was 13. The information is very fluid as of this writing. There were no survivors.
It is reported that five people in total were killed in Calabasas, California, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. That number rose to nine according to CNN with later news updates.
The crash comes one day after Bryant was passed by Lakers forward LeBron James for third place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
As late as 10:39 p.m. ET on Saturday night, Bryant was active on social media, congratulating Bryant on Twitter during the Lakers 108-91 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Who knew that classy post this might have been his last post on Earth.
https://twitter.com/kobebryant/status/1221276426164269056
LeBron James marked his sneakers with a gold marker with “Mamba 4 Life” and “8/24” out of profound respect for Bryant. LeBron James had the kindest words of respect for the man he would eventually pass on the scoring list via ESPN.
"“It’s another guy that I looked up to when I was in grade school and high school,” James said. “Seeing him come straight out of high school, he is someone who I used as inspiration. It was like, wow. Seeing a kid, 17 years old, come into the NBA and trying to make an impact on a franchise, I used it as motivation. He helped me before he even knew of me because of what he was able to do. So, just to be able to, at this point of my career, to share the same jersey that he wore, be with this historical franchise and just represent the purple and gold, it’s very humbling and it’s dope."
Even though this is a great achievement by LeBron that is now completely bittersweet, now there is a way to really honor Kobe Bryant, the way he would want us to. He really would want all Lakers fans to unite and let the fanbase or “stans” that quote who is the better player while demeaning the other.
For the next few days, this horrible tragedy on a large-scale and LeBron’s achievement on a smaller scale will be scrutinized and overly analyzed by sports media outlets around the world. After they are done, social media will carry on the debate of who is the better player of all-time. It doesn’t matter, Kobe Bryant is an icon, he passed the keys to the franchise’s future.
LeBron’s fans will come out of the woodwork to talk about how LeBron James is the greatest Laker of all time even though he hasn’t played a full two seasons yet. With the power of editing video clips from Cleveland and Miami, they will make their arguments. It needs to stop.
Kobe’s fans will point to the 20 seasons he gave to the franchise, with the three final seasons played after a career-threatening torn Achilles tendon. Bryant shooting his free throws before walking off the floor cemented his legacy in the pantheon of Laker icons. That and the five championship rings that he was a major factor in bringing throughout the early 2000s. It needs to stop.
There was no real beef. Only rumors. Hear it from the legend himself when LeBron James was signed to the Lakers last year.
Lake Show Life takes a look back at the relationship between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.