The love between Kobe and his Filipino fans

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

AROUND 4:25 a.m. after coming from the restroom when my housemate told me that NBA great Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna plus seven others just died few hours ago in a helicopter crash somewhere in southern California. I just shrugged it off and told the fellow that the report could be another fake news from another imbecile twitter-hyped person. But I did wonder if the report was true, I texted media colleague Joel Balolong of Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan and asked if the report was true. Joel quickly replied: “Positive.” To confirm it further, I turned on my television after drinking a cup of coffee for any news about it. The news about Kobe! Yes, I felt sad to hear the anchorperson confirm the devastating news that the 41-year-old NBA icon nicknamed “Black Mamba” was gone.

 I was brokenhearted. It was surreal. Lost in disbelief that the young Kobe, my basketball idol, who visited our country seven times, met his untimely death in a sudden and shocking way. His trips to the Philippines (1998, 2007, 2009, twice in 2011, 2013 and 2016) so impressed me that aside from showcasing his talents with PBA players at Araneta Smart Coliseum before a packed crowd, he also gave clinics and seminars about his game. He inspired the youth which made him closer to his Filipino hoop fans, who adored him so much especially after he gamely he hopped the “tinikling dance” in a party to the delight of the guests during his first visit here in 1998.

“Nakakatindig ng balahibo,” said Antonio de Vera of Mangaldan after watching the news on YouTube. De Vera defined Kobe, a five-time NBA champion with the Lakers, twice Olympic gold medalist and twice MVP, not only because he was a frequent visitor to the Philippines but he also obviously loved our indigenous cultures. “He’s the only NBA player to visit the Philippines seven times and unabashedly mingled with Filipino fans, one of the big reasons why Filipinos loved him so much,” said de Vera. I agree because Kobe once confessed that he loves the Philippines so much and considered the Philippines as his second home. In fact, Kobe was reportedly considering to visit the Philippines again this year but fate was unkind to him, this time.     

Much have been said about Kobe in media about his demise that sent shockwaves around the world especially to his co-NBA cagers like Magic Johnson, Karem Abdul Jabbar, Michael Jordan and Lebron James who just broke Kobe’s all-time list of scores in NBA to land third just a day before his death. But unknown to many, he’s the youngest and only the first point- guard to jump directly to NBA at the age of 17 from high school, skipping college education and eventually turned superstar at his young age of 19 years. Yes, he was the only NBA superstar that never moved to any team during his 20 years of campaign. Unlike the other NBA players, his loyalty to the Lakers remained intact until the last breath of his life. And after two decades of intensive playing professionally, he hanged up his shoes permanently on April 14, 2016.

And now that he’s gone, gone for good but his legacy lives and will never-ever be forgotten especially among his Filipino diehard fans.

Our heartfelt and deepest condolences to his Mexican wife Vanessa Cornejo Ubrieta and their three little beautiful girls.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “If he has walked in My statutes and kept My judgments faithfully—he is just; he shall surely live!” says the Lord God. EZEKIEL 18: 9

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