BSJ Daily Briefing 01.27.20: RIP Kobe Bryant, Celtics drop one, Senior Bowl

Good afternoon!

A few random thoughts while I wonder about the fragility of life...

• Kobe died. At 41. With eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.


• This hit home for a lot of Celtics, and will be particularly devastating for Jayson Tatum, who has spent a lot of time with Bryant in recent years.


• Don't think I ever covered a Kobe game, but obviously he was a prodigious talent but for many years his legacy was very complicated.


• The way I remember it ... here was this kid of a former player, who grew up in Italy, who was so brash he thought he could turn pro as a guard straight out of high school ... and then he was great, coming off the bench at first.


• May have ... no, he was ... the most naturally gifted athletes I've seen in any sport. Strength, finesse, explosiveness, fluidity and touch ... he had it all, often at the same time.


• Ushered in the Hero Ball era and there were a lot of questions about whether he could play well enough with others to win a title ... and then didn't win one until Shaq joined him. ... There was that messy breakup, and the Colorado allegations. ... He then won two titles without Shaq.


• And then towards the end and in his post-playing career, he seemed so mature, so giving and decided to make an impact on the young. So, yes, losing Bryant is a tragedy in that sense — he had still much to give — but a lot of people pass who meant a lot to many people. It's an unfortunate part of life.


• I just can't imagine the pain Vanessa Bryant and the rest of the family are feeling. Things can change so fast.

________________________

This is the one that’s hard to watch. pic.twitter.com/x1aUo72tqB

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 27, 2020