Let’s take a moment to remember the great Kobe Bryant. In his 20 NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant won five championships, including the league’s last three-peat (2000-2002) with Shaquille O’Neal. Bryant ranks fourth all-time in regular season and postseason scoring and was the 2008 MVP. This Sunday, January 26, marks five years since his tragic death along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. It’s hard to believe how quickly those five years have flown by, just as it’s hard to believe that today marks 15 years since the night the “Black Mamba” scored 81 points against the Raptors – still the second-highest scoring performance in NBA history, behind only Wilt Chamberlain’s legendary 100-point game in 1962.
The Story of Bryant and 50 Women
Among Kobe’s many accomplishments, he is also remembered for his relentless work ethic, famously known as the “Mamba Mentality. A story highlighting this mentality was shared on the Entirely NBA podcast. Former NBA player John Salley, who won 4 NBA championships and played alongside both Michael Jordan and Kobe, recounted an incident when Kobe was about to turn 21. During a game in Miami, where the Heat were vastly inferior to the Lakers at the time, Salley organized a party – a “gathering,” as he called it – with about 50 women and the players from the Lakers in attendance. Kobe decided to show up, but stayed only briefly because he had practice at 6 a.m. Salley sums up the story best in the video below.
It was this mentality that made Kobe the star of the Lakers and the NBA for 20 years. Bryant is one of the most prolific scorers in history, scoring at least 50 points 24 times in his career, which ranks third in league history behind Jordan (31) and Chamberlain (118). But also on the defensive side, Bryant was a 12-time All-Defensive Team selection, second only to Duncan’s 15. A complete player who, in my opinion, is undoubtedly one of the top 10 in history.
Vanessa Bryant is Releasing a Book Honoring Kobe
I think this might not be the best time to recall a Kobe story with other women who aren’t her wife, Vanesaa, as she is set to release Mamba & Mambacita Forever, a heartfelt book honoring her late husband, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, and their daughter, Gianna. Scheduled for release on August 19, just days before Kobe Bryant Day (August 24) because he used the number 8 (August is the 8th month) and the 24. The book features over 100 murals from Los Angeles and around the world, capturing the global admiration for Kobe’s extraordinary career and Gianna’s potential as a rising basketball star. The project features photography by Andrew D. Bernstein, who previously worked with Kobe on his acclaimed book The Mamba Mentality: How I Play.
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The book doesn’t just memorialize the Bryant family-it celebrates their impact. In the wake of their loss, murals, vigils, and sculptures have sprung up around the world to demonstrate the depth of their influence. Vanessa’s goal is to preserve these artistic tributes, share the powerful stories behind them, and keep their legacy alive. Beyond the book, Vanessa Bryant has dedicated herself to honoring their legacy through the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, which supports youth sports programs. The Bryant family’s influence continues to shine through these efforts, ensuring that Kobe and Gianna’s contributions to basketball, fatherhood, and women’s sports are never forgotten.