Mark Jackson: Kobe meant a tremendous …

Mark Jackson: Kobe meant a tremendous amount to me. As an opponent, he won his first championship with the Lakers against my Pacers team. But as a fan of the game, I looked at him and appreciated everything about him. Not just in terms of his greatness, but how passionate and hard he worked. Kobe kept improving, not just as a basketball player—as a father, as a husband, as a man. He just continued to get better and wasn’t willing to accept anything less than getting better. Kobe sought incredible knowledge across the board, and was determined to be the best he could possibly be. That’s why so many people embraced him.