Death is never easy to take, and, for obvious reasons, among the hardest to process is that of a sports figure who transcended his or her calling. It鈥檚 why the passing of Kobe Bryant yesterday came as a shock even to casual observers with little or no regard for basketball. In life, he evoked emotions few others in his profession could. And in the absence of life, he generated an outpouring of sympathy and grief. It wasn鈥檛 simply that he went too soon at 41, and under tragic circumstances — his daughter Gianna, all of 13, by his side. It was that he went not on his own terms, and, therefore, not on terms all and sundry could accept.
Indeed, Bryant was used to having his way. He was already all fire when he burst into the National Basketball Association as a 13th overall pick out of high school in 1996, confident of his abilities and determined to show not just that he could take the measure of the greats before him, but that he could best every single one of them. Time was the only element he figured to be up in the air, and it was on his side. Everything was a matter of when, not if. And true enough, he didn鈥檛 need to wait long to reach the pinnacle of success. He was with the league鈥檚 most popular franchise in the Lakers, with the league鈥檚 most dominant player in Shaquille O鈥橬eal, and his growth coincided with creation of a modern-day dynasty.
In retrospect, Bryant was destined to scuttle the partnership as well. He couldn鈥檛 co-exist with O鈥橬eal, if for no other reason than because he had to be the Lakers鈥 Number One — okay, only — option. His will to win was legendary, and he suffered no slouches who displayed a work ethic an iota less focused than his. He had talent, but it was his determination that allowed him to stand out. On the court, there was no endeavor he didn鈥檛 relish, no challenge he couldn鈥檛 accept, no hurdle he didn鈥檛 conquer. There may be no 鈥淚鈥 in 鈥淭EAM,鈥 but he managed to force-fit it, anyway. And who can argue with the results? Five championship rings, two Finals Most Valuable Player awards, 18 All-Star berths, and more: All these speak to the resolve with which he mastered his craft.
Bryant would mellow in his later years, and his position as elder statesman eminently satisfied with his accomplishments suited him. He reveled in his newfound roles as mentor to the stars, as revered great, and as friend to all — even to O鈥橬eal. He stayed away from the NBA for the most part, but seemed to be more visible in recent memory due to his daughter鈥檚 increasing love for the sport. They were, in fact, on their way to a game when they lost their lives. Now, they鈥檒l be watching elsewhere, and they will be missed.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since 大象传媒 introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
