[ad_1]
Matthew Wright was sharing a meal with friends and family before a long flight from Canada to the Philippines on January 26, 2020 when he learned that Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash.
“I cried for weeks trying to process the loss,” Wright said.
For many years in the Philippines, most were asleep when the accident killed the 41-year-old retired Los Angeles Lakers star, his 13-year-old daughter, one of his daughter’s coaches, two of his teammates and the pilot. .
They were heading from Orange County to their daughter’s tournament at her Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks.
Kiefer Ravena was one of many who woke up to the news.
“I was barely awake when my brother Thirdy called me about it. I didn’t believe him until I checked it myself on social media,” Ravena said.
Kiefer Ravena was just five years old when he met Bryant, then 19, at an Adidas event in 1998. An autographed photo with Bryant is a treasured memory.
“It was when he first came here,” Kiefer Ravena said. “My dad (Bong) got to play with him. I was growing my love of the game, and seeing him right there inspired me to be like him one day.”
Wright’s fandom was forged by watching many Lakers night games from his hometown of Toronto. He was drawn to Bryant’s incredible skill and legendary intensity.
Bryant was the NBA star player to be followed by aspiring ballers in the Philippines.
“He was arrogant but humble at the same time and he appealed to me,” Wright said. “I modeled everything after him. I tried to perfect all his movements: the footwork, the withdrawal. He was the model of success for me.”
It’s easy to see why Filipinos loved Bryant. While most Filipinos lacked his physical features, many saw a magnified version of themselves: a sloppy fighter who excelled at playing with passion and a sizable chip on his shoulder.
“No matter how different we are, we can all channel that inner beast to accomplish a task,” Wright said. “That’s the Mamba mentality in a nutshell.”
And Bryant seemed to love Filipinos too. Bryant made six visits to the Philippines and was received each time.
“Filipinos love Kobe because he gave back to the country. He visited countless times and held Nike youth events here. It’s not hard to see why people are fans of Kobe,” Wright said.
While no number of memorials could capture the weight of Bryant’s basketball legacy, that hasn’t stopped Filipinos from paying tribute to him.
The “Kobe House” in Valenzuela, which opened the day before Bryant’s death, rang the bell at 8:24 am on what would have been the late Laker’s 42nd birthday on Aug. 24.
In Taguig at the Tenement, one day after the tragedy, Mike Swift and his team of visual artists got to work and finished their most moving tribute yet: a mural of Kobe holding Gigi in his arms during the All-Star Game. NBA 2016. – in just 24 hours.
“I went to the Tenement court in Taguig on February 24 to be a part of the ceremony and touch the mural on the court,” Wright said. “It was moving, but there were a lot of kids who just wanted to enjoy the moment and play, so it took some of the edge off the ceremony. Much needed.”
Millions of people grieved and faced the next weeks and months. Long compliments flowed and beautiful murals were erected.
With sports on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PBA players would have to wait until October 2020 to honor Bryant at a basketball game.
Some players, like Wright, wore Bryant’s signature shoes. The TNT Tropang Giga debuted with the “Black Giga Mamba” jerseys. Others, like Vic Manuel and Kiefer Ravena, changed their uniform number to 24 to honor Bryant.
“It was different because it was the only time I changed my number, and it felt good to honor someone who influenced me so much when it comes to my career,” Ravena said.
Ever since stone-faced Bryant told reporters after Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals, the phrase “the work is not done” has found its way into countless postgame interviews at the PBA.
The phrase and all that it embodies may be Bryant’s most enduring legacy to PBA players.
“It’s always about being the hardest worker on the team. That’s the job and it should never end because it means you stopped working,” Ravena said.
For Filipinos who idolized Bryant and appreciated how he approached life and basketball, the goal is to rise to the top the same way he did: with purpose, with optimism, with the mindset that there is always a new company. , another challenge to conquer. . The work has never really finished.
