Ripple Effect
The tragic death of NBA legend, Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others has been well covered over the past few days. I first heard the news from the parking lot attendant upon my arrival at the Nuggets game Sunday afternoon. The irony of this occurring while taking my son to his first NBA game was not lost on me and presented a whole set of challenges I wasn’t expecting - like explaining to a four year old what a moment of silence is, or why people were crying at a basketball game.
If I can be honest for a moment, I didn’t like Kobe when he came into the league. Partially because he posed a threat to the legacy of my childhood idol, Michael Jordan, and partially because of the arrogance and “run over anyone in his way” mindset that made him great. But as Kobe matured, he transformed from a self centered leader, to a servant leader and I began to appreciate his greatness and who he was as a person.
“But It was his willingness to help others that made him truly legendary.”
Admittedly in a speech to the University of Alabama Football team in 2018 he said; “To be an effective leader, you have to be a really good listener and not to what’s being said, but to what’s not being said. You have to be really observant. That was a big transition for me. I went from being a scorer and a floor general….to being a leader and that meant putting others first. That means not worrying about are you in rhythm, are you playing well in this game, are you ready to go, to being, are THEY ready? What can I do to help them be ready?”
I’ve read countless stories about Kobe’s impact on other people. Reporters, basketball players, other sports stars, kids and business people sharing how Kobe took a genuine interest in helping and inspiring them. Kobe had one of the most relentless work ethics of anyone in the world, he was willing to push himself beyond limits of what most people think is humanly possible and that alone was enough to make him one of the greatest of all time. But It was his willingness to help others that made him truly legendary.
This is a sad reminder that life is fragile and can be taken from us at any time regardless of our fame, status, riches, age or lifestyle. I know I cherished that two and half hours watching basketball inside the Pepsi Center with my son, more than I would have otherwise and I hugged my wife and daughter a little tighter when I got home. I’m grateful for every day I have on this earth and I’m inspired by Kobe Brant to live my life in such a way that I can hopefully make a positive difference in the lives of those around me.
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