This was the mission of Kobe Bryant–to create an everlasting impact, not only in the basketball community but in the world as a whole. The Mamba mentality of never giving up, even when challenges arise, is the intention that gets the job done and exceeds expectations. This was present within his 20-year long basketball career as well as within his day-to-day life after retirement. Bryant was always the first one in and the last one out. He was the one who showed up when nobody else would. He went the extra mile to ensure greatness. If asked the questions “what do you do for a living?” and “what do you live for?”, I assume that Kobe would have two completely different yet corresponding answers. Why? Because what you do for a living is your profession, whereas what you live for is your mission. You may retire from your profession, but you cannot retire from your mission (Stuart, 2017). Your mission is not over until you breathe your last breath, and that was one thing that Kobe carried with him (and spread to others) until his final moment. What was Kobe’s mission? To inspire people to get the job done and overcome challenges, which was identified as the Mamba mentality.
Kobe spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, which allowed him to grow an enormous platform. Kobe’s loyalty to the sport, his team, and to the city of Los Angeles was one to be commended. In return, he became an inspiration to many around the world. He was an eighteen-time All-Star, a five-time NBA Champion, and the 2008 Most Valuable Player. With that platform, one of his biggest accomplishments was his constant promotion of women’s basketball. He made it a priority to bring recognition to the sport for everybody, no matter the gender.
One driving force for this pursuit of equality comes from his daughter Gianna who was a young star in the sport. These accomplishments speak for themselves as to the value he offered to the sport of basketball. Within this profession, he was fulfilling his mission. Kobe’s profession held an extensive amount of purpose. Within that purpose lied a burning passion to push this mentality onto others. One thing that Kobe proved was that not only can his mission be fulfilled through his professional career, but it also needed to be fulfilled through day-to-day life, through conversations, actions, service to others, fatherhood, and the way he lived his life. It was about the intention behind what he was doing. It was about the Mamba mentality.
On the court, Kobe was a legend. Off the court, Kobe remained a legend, and that is what made him not only a great player but a great human who used his life to bring inspiration, value, service, and leadership to others. He fulfilled his mission and left behind a legacy that has impacted the hearts of all and will be remembered forever.
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