Kobe Bryant Was A Philly Kid and Philly’s Tribute to Him Was Phenomenal

Although he became an Icon and 5-time champion— one at the expense of the Sixers— over 3,000 miles away in Los Angeles; there has always been a special love and appreciation for Kobe in this city.
It’s not just that he began his legend at local Lower Merion, but it was what he embodied and stood for as a man and player that made him one of us. Hard work. Toughness. Relentless. Resilient. Qualities that are in the DNA of this city. It’s why the Sixers tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and the other 7 victims in this tragedy, cut so deep.

Kobe Bryant, as is the case for millions of others, is my favorite player of all time and the reason I love this game. There was a magic to him that captured the imagination of my generation. He had performances that seemed impossible yet inevitable.

Much like Muhammad Ali, his inspiration and his legend goes well beyond sports. He represents what all of us aspire to be. We don’t always work as hard as we should. We don’t always make the most of the time given to us. The same cannot be said about Kobe Bryant. He demanded excellence from himself and those around him. He showed us what was possible when you combine hard work, dedication, a relentless pursuit for greatness.

I had the honor of meeting Kobe at a basketball camp when I was 12. I cracked some stupid joke about him potentially playing with Dwight Howard and he laughed so hard. I know damn well that joke wasn’t funny, but that’s who Kobe was. He made me feel on top of the world at that moment and it’s a memory I’ll cherish forever.

Having just seen LeBron James pass Kobe on the all time scoring list in the same building 36 hours earlier, the tribute at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday hit especially hard. But eventually these tributes will stop and we’ll all have to accept this isn’t a nightmare we can wake up from. The best we can do to carry on his legacy, is to attack life with the same determination and passion as he did. We love you Kobe. Rest In Peace.