Los Angeles unites in grief for its adopted son
The chants rose in the plaza across from Staples Center. “Kobe!“and “MVP! MVP!“They came from hundreds of fans gathered to mourn the death of Kobe Bryant.
Candles burned alongside hand-lettered messages scrawled on signs and the pavement. Bunches of flowers piled up, some with purple-and-gold balloons attached.
Men, women, and children of every ethnicity milled around, drawn to the heart of downtown Los Angeles where they had once celebrated five NBA championships won by Bryant and the Lakers.
This time, they were united in shock and sadness hours after Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash northwest of the city on Sunday.
Like many Angelenos, Bryant was a transplant. Born in Philadelphia, he spent some of his early years in Italy, where he learned the language while his father played pro basketball. He later returned to the Philadelphia area and starred at suburban Lower Merion High, becoming the top prep player in the country.
But he was most closely identified with L.A., where the city’s adopted son thrilled fans with his All-Star moves for the Lakers for 20 seasons.
“He grew up there,” Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers said. “He grew up and matured and changed and evolved. I’m sure they felt like they grew up with him.”
Away from the court, Bryant briefly fell from grace in 2003 after being accused of sexual assault at a Colorado hotel. He lost sponsors and fans and his reputation was tarnished. The case was eventually dropped, and Bryant and his accuser settled her civil suit against him.
There were other personal problems. Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, filed for divorce in 2011, but they reconciled a year later. There were disagreements with his parents, too. They initially opposed his marriage and didn’t attend the wedding. Bryant’s mother tried to auction memorabilia of his in 2013, and he successfully challenged her.
Those episodes only served to humanize Bryant among his fans.
Bryant was in the news less than 24 hours before his sudden death. Current Laker LeBron James overtook him as the NBA’s third all-time leading scorer during a game in Philadelphia. Once famously competitive, Bryant had grown comfortable in the elder statesman’s role, and his last tweet congratulated James on the achievement.
Long before he retired, Bryant and his wife started a foundation with the goal of helping families and children. Bryant said he was prompted to act after seeing homeless people outside the arena on his way home to Orange County from games.
“He wasn’t just an athlete,” fan Jason Ackerman said outside Staples. “He gave the city hope.”
After his playing days ended in 2016, he immediately switched his laser-like focus to his love of storytelling in film and books and online.
“He was so intense about business,” Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin said. “He would ask 50 different questions in a day about how could he win in business.”
It didn’t take long for Bryant to make an impact in
Hollywood. He won an Oscar for best animated short two years ago as a producer of “Dear Basketball,” based on a poem that Bryant wrote before he retired from the court.
He launched Granity Studios, a multimedia company that creates content for young adults. He had begun a publishing career as well. Last year was the debut of his young-adult book series, which mixed fantasy and sports.
“Kobe’s death is especially wrenching knowing what he was capable of and what he might have accomplished in his post-NBA life,” said Arn Tellem, Bryant’s former longtime agent. “He was already well on his way.”
Steven and Diana Brugge joined the throng outside Staples in their matching Bryant jerseys.
“He was the soul of L.A.,” Steven Brugge said. “He meant so much to this city, and not just because he won championships.”
Brugge admired the way Bryant carried himself as a person and a professional: “That’s the kind of guy you want representing your city.”
When he wasn’t working, Bryant would pop up at women’s pro and college basketball games in Los Angeles, often with 13-yearold Gianna in tow. The second oldest of Bryant’s four daughters took up her father’s sport, and he proudly coached her AAU team. He talked up the women’s game, too, giving it a boost.
With Staples Center hosting the Grammys on Sunday, fans got as close to the arena as they could, standing under video boards with his face and the message: “In Loving Memory of Kobe Bryant.”
Together, they shared memories in quiet voices. Some shed tears. Others held their heads in their hands.
Perhaps Leonardo DiCaprio summed it up best.
“LA will never be the same,” the actor tweeted.