Basketball legend Kobe Bryant would have turned 44 today. He was one of the most acclaimed basketball players in history and went on to have a prosperous business career and win an Oscar, per 7News. A champion inside and outside the hard court.
Following his death in a tragic accident in 2020, lots of great stories emerged about his incredible life and legacy have surfaced.
As we celebrate Kobe Bryant's birthday, we present three amazing stories that solidify the legacy of the one and only "Black Mamba" who everyone loved, respected, and missed so much.
A True Inspiration for Kids
The Punies, a dramatized audio series about kids that Bryant wrote, was the inspiration for a curriculum that fourth-grade teacher Andrew Ntzouras developed in the fall of 2018. Bryant scheduled a visit for the final day of winter break in December after learning about the class at Oxford Preparatory Academy in Orange County via the creative team at Bryant's Granity Studios.
In a Range Rover, Bryant arrived at the school, went in through a side door, and met with Ntzouras' class. Additionally, he gave a speech to the whole school and donated 250 books to the library per Andscape.
The children showed their attachment to the audio series. One made a digital Punies game, another painted a mural featuring the show's characters, and one kid rapped about the show.
Ntzouras, a long-time fan of Kobe Bryant, said: "He connected with the kids, high-fived them, and complimented their work. It's a day they'll never forget."
The teacher watched in awe and remembered an interview in which the Lakers superstar expressed disappointment that his endeavors off the court didn't evoke the same enthusiastic response as his basketball triumphs did. Though, Bryant was able to enjoy the results of his efforts on this particular day.
"Coming to the class, he was able to experience the impact of his work. I think he got gratification in that," Ntzouras noted.
The following morning, Ntzouras looked at his phone and noticed an Instagram friend request. It was from Bryant. He thought it was fake but soon realized it was the real Kobe Bryant.
"I'm just a fourth-grade teacher, not an influencer or anything like that, and this is Kobe Bryant wanting to connect with me. I've been a fan of his for 20 years, and for that to happen was amazing."
On January 26, 2020, Ntzouras was grading math tests when his phone flooded with text messages referencing the TMZ story regarding the helicopter crash. He initially disregarded the texts since he didn't trust the source. The accident was then proven to be true by network news reports.
Ntzouras had both physical and emotional pain the day following Bryant's passing. When his supervisor called, he assured Ntzouras that he would accommodate any need for a day off.
He reflected that day: "...you know what, Kobe would say, 'Don't sit at home, get in there and inspire the kids."
And he did just that. While talking about Bryant's legacy, his students and he both sobbed.
"We came away from that determined to move forward with the Mamba mentality. To stay positive and let his memory keep us inspired." Ntzouras said.
The Most Dangerous Player
Kerry Kittles now works as a part-time scout for the Brooklyn Nets and a co-founder of IQ Sports, Solutions. But before that, he was one of the outstanding guards in the NBA who faced Kobe Bryant many times. He recalled the moment when his team then, New Jersey Nets, went against Kobe Bryant, along with Shaquille O'Neal, in the 2022 NBA Finals.
"We had the best player in the league and the second-best player in the league coming at us, taking all of the shots. Occasionally, they'd pass the ball to Rick Fox or Robert Horry or Derek Fisher every now and then, but those two guys were just as dominant as could be."
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Kittles said, per Basketball News, that defending Kobe was "so hard" because he did not have any weakness, and he was loaded with lots of "countermoves."
Kittles said: "Kobe was more skilled than Jordan, but Jordan was more effective than Kobe. Jordan would hit you with pump fakes and drive by you; he was a little bit more predictable. With Kobe, you didn't know what he was going to do because he didn't know what he was going to do. That's the most dangerous player when you think about it. As far as trying to guard him one-on-one, you didn't know what he was going to do. At least with Mike, you had a little bit of an idea of what he wanted to do. Kobe was the toughest match-up for me and the hardest to guard."
Never Too Big For Anyone
In 2018, Ryan Williams was turning left in his Tesla in Newport, California, during a usual Thursday until a fast car sped through a red light and crashed into his vehicle just behind the driver's side door. Williams saw a tall man coming as he stumblingly got out of his automobile.
Bryant was in the accident because he halted at the intersection. Williams and Bryant had also crossed paths several times at Starbucks, according to Andscape,
"'Bro, are you OK, you want me to take you to the hospital, what do you need?' " Williams recalled the Lakers legend saying.
"At the time, I was trying to figure out what was going on, my car just got smashed and I was partially concussed. And he was there to help out."
Bryant and Williams, a partner with the Athletes First sports agency, first met at a local Starbucks about six years ago and established a rapport over cups of coffee and snacks.
Following the accident, their bond grew stronger."He took more of a genuine interest in what I did for a living, and what I aspired to do to become a success," said Williams.
In December 2019, Williams heard a bang from another accident in the area and raced to the scene. And Bryant was there to help.
"Just like he did with me, he consoled everyone who was involved. "Kobe cared about people and was just a great human being..." Williams noted.
"The world got to know him as a basketball player. Here, he was a member of our community. He was never too big for anyone."
