NBA -- A Tribute: Remembering “Cory” Bryant and Trash Can Three-Pointers
By Katareena Carysse Roska
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 29 Jan 2022
My mother always messed up names.
She’d say Noel instead of Noah, Marky instead of Marcus, Evan instead of Ethan and so on.
The "murdering" of names got worse with the hundreds of sports stars that my dad adored. There were too many common names with too many unfamiliar faces.
I shared the same problem as my mom's.
The only star I always remembered however, was Kobe Bryant.
Dubbed the GOAT, the Greatest of All Time, the Black Mamba, and so many other nicknames—Kobe Bryant stuck out to me the most during my most formative years living in Los Angeles. It was a name I heard nearly everyday.
Kobe was one of the easiest talking points for any native Angeleno. When the weather and traffic got too boring, people moved on to the Lakers. From the 2000s to the 2010s, and well into his retirement in 2016, Kobe was the main event.
Even as a seven year old, I knew what the boys on the playground were referencing whenever they exclaimed “Kobe!” before tossing a paper ball into a trash can, mimicking a three-pointer and the roar of a Staples Center crowd right after. When kids asked me if I knew any basketball players, or sports players in general, my first answer was always Kobe Bryant.
I had swim practice on January 26, 2020. I was no athlete, but I woke up early that day to get ready. My dad walked into my room with a serious face and seemingly shocked at the breaking news article emanating from the glow on his phone.
“Kobe Bryant died.”
“You’re lying, stop joking,” I protested.
“I’m not.” He showed the phone to me.
“Yeah, but that’s TMZ. Who the hell are they to say Kobe died? They could get sued for fake news like that.”
“Scroll down. Check your phone. I wish it was a joke Casey.”
It seemed like a bad dream that I couldn’t wake up from. I hadn’t followed Kobe or basketball all that closely, but he was always there in the back of my mind as someone invincible. I was excited to see him grow old.
The only thing that hit me harder the day I heard about his death, was his daughter’s. Gianna Bryant was only older than me by a mere month.
I arrived at swim practice effectively discouraged. Everyone had heard the news by the time I got there. We were all very quiet throughout the workout.
I wasn’t in the mood, to say the least. Just as I was about to give up on my last lap and leave the pool, some tiny kid with the biggest purple and gold goggles I’d ever seen piped up.
“Come on! Do it for Kobe!”
And I did. I swam that last lap instead of climbing out. The rest of the team followed suit.
You’ll notice a purple and gold motif that have decorated the alleys and streets of Los Angeles since January 26, 2020. The numbers “8” and “24” are nearly everywhere. There are still shrines and memorials to Kobe and Gianna. And every time I pass by them, a twinge of heartache hits me.
Kobe was the late night entertainment that my dad begged me to change the Disney channel for. He was a conversation starter for my dad and I, and how I learned about basketball.
Kobe Bryant was the man on the TV my mom screamed “YES! LET’S GO CORY BRYANT!” at after he scored a point for the Lakers when victory seemed far from their reach. I’d correct her every time, but “Cory” Bryant became a running joke every time a Lakers game was on.
To every individual citizen of Los Angeles, Kobe means something special to them.
I realized then that late January of 2020, that Kobe was more than the Lakers or a Hall of Famer basketball player.
And despite the hundreds of points he scored and titles won, Kobe’s greatest achievement will always be his transcension beyond basketball and the legacy he left behind as a dedicated man defined by hard work and defying limits.
The NBA misses the Black Mamba.
The city of Angels misses Kobe Bryant.
I miss Cory Bryant.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A 15 year old high school sophomore, Katareena Roska is an aspiring writer who hopes to get more experience in journalism and media. Like any other teenage girl, Katareena’s a Swiftie at heart and a major fan of Phoebe Bridgers, but she loves all genres of music. Her hobbies and interests include art, fashion, film, reading, and boxing.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Katareena Carysse Roska.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Boxlab Promotions Fighters Shine with Statement Victories in Orlando
Tue, 24 Mar 2026Red Owl Boxing Presents Box Fest XVII on Friday, April 3rd at The Archer Music Hall in Allentown, PA and LIVE on DAZN
Tue, 24 Mar 2026Boxing world fans waiting Isis Sio prompty recovery; Team Isis Sio statement
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Tue, 24 Mar 2026National Master Nika Juris Nicolas rules National Youth & Schools Chess Championships
Tue, 24 Mar 2026SD FIGHT NIGHT: FAMILY BUSINESS DOUBLE MAIN EVENTS SET AS JULIUS “JUJU” BALLO SQAURES OFF AGAINST ROMAN REYES AT FRONTWAVE ARENA ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2026
Mon, 23 Mar 2026"I'M A MAN OF MY WORD": GEORGE LIDDARD COMPLETES MATCHROOM BRENTWOOD HALF MARATHON FOR CHARITY – HOURS AFTER DENNY WIN
Mon, 23 Mar 2026Lester Martinez Wins WBC Interim World Super Middleweight Championship with Unanimous Decision over Immanuwel Aleem
Sun, 22 Mar 2026IBF Pan Pacific champion Vince Paras set to face unbeaten OPBF champion Aoi Yokoyama in Kyrgyzstan
Sun, 22 Mar 2026King James sets NBA all-time record for most games played
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sun, 22 Mar 2026Loaded boxing schedule
By Joaquin Henson, Sun, 22 Mar 2026WEIGHTS, IMAGES, RUNNING ORDER AND THE LAST WORDS AHEAD OF ADAMES VS. WILLIAMS IN ORLANDO
Sat, 21 Mar 2026COPPER BOX ARENA FIGHT NIGHT: WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND RUNNING ORDER CONFIRMED AS LIDDARD AND DENNY FACE-OFF FOR FINAL TIME
Sat, 21 Mar 2026Weights From ‘Martinez vs. Aleem’ Event from the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino and Broadcast live on ProBoxTV
Sat, 21 Mar 2026Jordan Orozco Training Camp Notes
Sat, 21 Mar 2026Towns vs. Bordin for PAT Belt; De Barbo, Nancholas, Samiei in Supporting Bouts at Brico Santig's Exciting Show in Pattaya Beach, Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 20 Mar 2026