Kobe Bryant’s four airballed shots in a 1997 playoff game were a huge defining moment for the rest of his 20 year NBA career. In his rookie year, Kobe Bryant found himself with the chance to win an elimination game for the Lakers. He took four shots towards the end of the game, all of which airballed. The Lakers went on to lose the game and were eliminated from the playoffs. Kobe immediately went to a local high school and just shot hoops until 4:00 p.m. the next day: over 16 hours of just shooting hoops. In his own words, “It was an early turning point for me in being able to deal with adversity, deal with public scrutiny and self-doubt. At 18 years old, it was gut-check time.” Once the game ended, Coach Byron Scott recalled seeing a determined look on Bryant’s face that read, “This will never happen again.” This game affected the rest of Kobe’s 20 year career. This showed Kobe’s fearlessness and tenacity with the fact that he kept shooting, even though he had airballed not once, but four times in a row. He just kept shooting.

This tenacity would be evident again in 2008 when he won the MVP award, then again in 2009 and 2010, when he led the Lakers to back-to-back championships, despite losing in the finals the year before. It showed again in 2013 when he tore his achilles, yet still managed to sink two free throws to win the game, and then again in 2016 when he scored 60 points in the final game of his career, despite being tired, hurting, and double-teamed. 

But Kobe’s legacy goes way beyond basketball, as he has impacted the lives of many people around the world. “Kobe Byrant showed enthusiasm in his early years as a junior at Lower Merion High School”, according to counselor and basketball coach at Pennridge High School, Dean Berhens, who got to see Kobe “up close and personal” as he watched him play against Wissahickon High School, where Lower Merion lost the game. Behrens goes on to say “Kobe knew he needed to work at his craft.  He took to working in the gym for hours: up to 500 shots per day.- He could shoot the ball off the dribble.He wanted to prove to everyone that he was a great player. His work ethic is legendary.” As Berhens watched Kobe’s development over the years, he saw a “motivated, hardworking, driven, intense and an intelligent player.“ According to Behrens, “This is impressive, that he reinvented himself and found other hobbies and interests and after hearing all these reports and that he wanted to communicate the challenges in the basketball industry. He became influential in this way as a basketball player. He wrote several books outlining the game.”

According to a student at Pennridge High School, Brian Towsey, “There are several qualities that make a great basketball player… skill, talent, and a determination to win every game at all costs. A drive that hardly anyone in the world can match.” When asked why Kobe Bryant was such a popular basketball star among NBA fans, Towsey recalls, “He was fun to watch, extremely entertaining. Every night he stepped on the court he would dominate the game. No shot was too difficult or no challenge too great, Kobe put on a show of excellence and talent that few players could match.”

Everyday, Kobe Bryant’s legacy affects the lives of many all over the world. Many who have interacted with him know how dedicated he was to his sport. Despite the push backs in his career he just pushed harder back at life to achieve his dreams and never gave up. He was successful in his career and became one of the most popular and beloved basketball players in history. His legacy will live on for generations.