It's a pity that the next generation will witness Bryant's greatness only in the form of highlights.
The late Kobe Bryant valued his fans. So much so that even the more grueling of injuries didn't stop him from taking the court and giving it his all.
It's been three years since the Black Mamba died along with his 13-year-old daughter Gigi, in the tragic helicopter crash. As the world mourns the death of an icon, one of the stories that did the rounds as the world paid tribute to the guard was his incredible ability to play through pain and the reason behind the grind.
Speaking during his induction into the Hall Of Fame, Vanessa revealed a touching story that spoke volumes about the lengths Bryant would go to for his fans.
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"One of the reasons why my husband played through injuries and pain was because he remembered being a little kid, sitting in the nosebleeds with his dad and watching his favorite player play. I remember asking him why he couldn’t just sit a game out because he was hurting. He said, 'What about the fans that saved up to watch me play just once?' He never forgot about his fans. If he could help it, he would play every minute of every game. He loved you all so much."
The Black Mamba was one of the more tough-as-nails characters one could find on the basketball court. He wasn't relentless, focused, and skillful at his craft — and it made sense that he was there to give his fans what they expected out of him.
NBA Fans React To Kobe Bryant's Love For His Fans That Spurred Him To Play Through Injuries
An injury is an injury, no matter the level and magnitude. Over the years, NBA stars have endured some tough hits to their bodies, and while some decide to focus on recovery, Bryant intended to continue.
Take for instance his career-threatening Achilles injury in 2013. While most players would hobble off the floor, Bryant got back up, got to the charity stripe, and sunk two free throws before leaving. And for fans, that was the sign of a true warrior.
Imagine how much more Kobe could have done if his body wasn't so worn out... it's important to rest guys, don't ALWAYS push past your physical limits. you're not being a quitter, you're just recharging so you can go even harder
Kobe will always be my goat
They not built like this no more.
NBA players today should take a page out his book!
Kobe was just a dog mannn. He’ll play through injuries for the fans when players now wouldn’t even play 15 minutes if they got a cut on their finger
That’s me I save up to watch the black mamba once
Class act... Modern day athletes can't relate
He’s built different
Michael Jordan said the very same thing years ago. This is just another way that Kobe crafted his game and mentality after MJ.
Players now would never
Such was his dedication to the sport that he went on to be the player who accomplished everything with the Lakers having played the entirety of his career for them.
One of the games fans can consider themselves fortunate to have witnessed was his 81-point explosion against the Toronto Raptors. To date, Bryant's ridiculously brilliant shooting to get to the 80-point mark is the record of the 21st century.
It's a pity that the next generation would witness Bryant's greatness only in the form of highlights. But there's no denying that he will still be a massive influence on fans in the days to come.
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