What will you remember about Kobe Bryant?
Kiz: My 25-year-old son and I had a moment Sunday. When the news initially broke that Kobe Bryant, his teenage daughter and seven other people died in a helicopter crash, my son and I reacted exactly this way: This can’t possibly be true! Kobe was more than a basketball player recognized among multiple generations by his first name alone. He was the rare pop culture icon whose death could shake both a 62-year-old father and his adult son to the core.
Singer: I’ll remember him as one of the most ruthless competitors the NBA has ever seen. If you scan the league right now, not many stars have remained in one place throughout their respective careers. That was Kobe, who for 20 seasons stalked the sideline at the Staples Center. I’ll remember the three-peat, when he and Shaq overcame their egos to win rings. And I’ll remember how that wasn’t enough for him. Plagued by the narrative that he needed Shaq to win, Kobe went out and got two more titles later in his career. Of all his attributes, I think it was his passion that defined him more than any other.
Kiz: The Lakers played Indiana in the 2000 NBA Finals, which I covered for The Post. Shaquille O’Neal and Reggie Miller were the names above the marquee. Game 4 was at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indy, with L.A. leading the series 2-1. Shaq was dominant but fouled out in overtime. And then this skinny 21-yearold Lakers guard took over, hitting three clutch shots on the road to beat the Pacers 120-118. It was the decisive moment of the Finals and the moment when Bryant became Kobe. Unforgettable. I was blessed to be there.
Singer: I, unfortunately, didn’t start covering the league regularly until the 201415 season. That Christmas, Kobe was injured when I was covering a game in Chicago, and he didn’t dress. But the next year, I was lucky to be there for his final game at the United Center, where he was more than willing to indulge the conversation about Michael Jordan. One of his favorite memories of battling Jordan: “Getting schooled for the baseline dunk the first time we matched up,” Bryant recalled. “That was like the coolest thing. Because I had seen that spin move so many times, and I knew he was going to do it.”
Kiz: Within seconds after I tweeted: “RIP Kobe” on Sunday, an angry sports fan reminded me to never forget the sexual assault charge against Bryant during a trip to Colorado in 2003. I haven’t forgotten, and distinctly recall a time when half the crowd in the Pepsi Center would wear Bryant jerseys, while the other half would boo every time he touched the ball. But I also know this: The Bryant I encountered before and after that dark period of his life were two different people. As a young player, he was an angry, self-centered Mamba. He grew into a thoughtful, caring person concerned about more than winning and growing his brand.
Singer: The real tragedy in Sunday’s news was that Bryant was hitting his stride in post-retirement life. What does the next chapter look like for someone so maniacally driven? For Bryant, he poured his interests into creative pursuits like storytelling, documentaries and podcasts. He also clearly relished being a father and spending time with his four daughters. Gianna, a budding basketball star in her own right, was also aboard the helicopter Sunday. They were en route to one of her basketball games. Bryant’s legacy is a complicated one, especially in this state. But as a basketball player, his impact on the NBA is unassailable. The NBA wouldn’t be what it is if it weren’t for a precocious teenager grabbing the game and making it his own.