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:
Diego Pacheco and Immanuwel Aleem Tip Scales for Carson Showdown
Sat, 18 Jul 2026Weights From ‘Flores vs. Navarro’ and 'Suarez vs Avila' at NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, CA & Live on ProBoxTV
Sat, 18 Jul 2026Tickets on Sale Now for Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Damian Knyba at Prudential Center, Newark, NJ on Sept 4 – Live on TNT and DAZN
Sat, 18 Jul 2026Golden Boy Promotions and Vergil Ortiz Jr. Reach Settlement, Focus on Biggest Fights Ahead
Sat, 18 Jul 2026Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Blu Girls Pull Off Stunning Comeback Against World No 3 Puerto Rico, Split Doubleheader in Lima
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 17 Jul 2026"Pipino" Cuevas: 50 Years as Mexico's Youngest World Champion
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 17 Jul 2026IBA Secretary General & CEO, Chris Roberts OBE: Regulation is how IBA pave the way forward for Bare-Knuckle Boxing
Fri, 17 Jul 2026EVERY WORD FROM THE FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE FOR PACHECO VS. ALEEM IN CARSON, CALIFORNIA
Fri, 17 Jul 2026WBO Youth Champion Esteban Garson Signs Agreement with Tuto Zabala Jr.'s All Star Boxing, Inc.
Fri, 17 Jul 2026Wheels and Waves 2026 at August 8 & 9 in Samal
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 17 Jul 2026FM Rico Salimbagat leads IIEE Chessmasters team in Bundesliga
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 17 Jul 2026MCGIRT: WE HAVEN’T SCRATCHED THE SURFACE OF PACHECO’S TALENT
Fri, 17 Jul 2026Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame Announces Tickets Are Now on Sale & Special Guests Confirmed for 10th Annual Awards & Induction Weekend
Fri, 17 Jul 2026Puma Half Marathon kicks off July 19
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 17 Jul 2026Asian Youth Chess in China
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 17 Jul 2026