This type of loss is unfathomable.
I had the “distraction” of the presentation at Savannah State yesterday, just as the news broke (doesn’t feel appropriate to share till tomorrow), & yet it still rocked me to my core. It was on my mind throughout the presentation. It was a microcosm of what we talk abt, together here, all the time: that the loss of ANYONE, even someone most ppl only knew on TV, can shake us.
I was talking on the phone this morn w Prim Siripipat, & we came to the conclusion that this one was particularly hard for us all to wrap our minds arnd, bc while Kobe had “retired,” from his career on the court, his life had really just begun.
These pics tell much of the story, but he was a ferocious player who was the essence of energy & grit in the NBA, & all he did was transfer that energy & grit from playing basketball to – being a dad, an artist, a businessman, even a community ambassador. He’d “retired” but he was still at the top of his game…& that game was way more than just being a Laker.
You look at the reactions arnd social media & the diversity of those who’ve been impacted by this tragic loss, & it’s clear this was not just the loss of a star athlete…but one of a larger than life hero. When it’s someone who’s been on a global stage the way he’s been for so long, pouring out his heart & full array of emotions for the world to see in all the arenas mentioned above, you feel like you knew him personally. Therefore, the loss feels like everyone’s loss, & is a shock that’s hard to even process as real.
I believe that the outpouring of posts & love being thrown his way, & to his little girl, fam, & the other victims, from many millions, is coming from a place of longing for connectivity. We are so shaken by the loss, sharing our feelings/emotions is the only way we can feel grounded. It’s actually beautiful how so many are sharing.
Kobe, by his own admission, wasn’t always a saint. When I first got to the league & would work in the locker rooms w the All-Star teams, especially early on, Kobe came off as arrogant…above everyone else. But he grew – he grew as a player & as a PERSON. He learned to lead. He learned to say sorry. And w the four beautiful girls he had, he learned to be a loving & doting dad. My heart is broken for his fam & the fam of all those in the accident.
Lastly, this is a crushing “back-to-back” loss for the NBA fam. To think a few months ago, you’d be sure that David & Kobe would be embracing at this yr’s All-Star festivities, flashing their distinct smiles, just as they had been since Kobe had been drafted over 20yrs ago, it’s unimaginable to think both men, still w so much life left to live, won’t physically be there. Life is fragile. No greater examples. Cherish every moment, & let’s also continue to SHARE how we FEEL & not just when tragedy strikes.
