NBA games were played on Sunday, but everyone was focused on something far more significant: the loss of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and those in the helicopter crash with them in Los Angeles County.
The Los Angeles Lakers legend influenced a generation of athletes with his desire to be the best and win at all costs. Having spent his entire career playing in LA, Bryant’s impact was even greater on the fans who grew up in Southern California watching him dominate the NBA.
One of those young LA fans was Brooklyn Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie.
When the Hawks came to Barclays Center in December, Bryant and his daughter were in attendance. Following the matchup with Atlanta, Dinwiddie spoke about a moment he shared with his hero prior to the game:
He was like, ‘You’re playing like an All-Star.’ I’m like, ‘Man, I’m trying.’ I was like, ‘Thank you.’ Obviously, for me, that was big time. I don’t know him personally, but I guess kind of now I do.
Following Sunday’s loss to the New York Knicks, Dinwiddie recalled that moment and got emotional when he explained how it was the greatest gift he’s ever received:
For him to tell me that in his book I’m an All-Star and stuff like that … [I] talked about a popularity contest before and, you know, you don’t win things like that when you [are] me. So, for him to say that, like, I didn’t need to be selected anymore. I was an All-Star, It’s not just, like, my family [saying that]. You know, it was, ‘the guy.’
Spencer Dinwiddie tears up talking about his interaction with Bryant last month. Said Kobe told him he’s an All-Star in his book, so he doesn’t care if he gets selected. He will always have that. pic.twitter.com/FYmCpzPsWw
— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) January 27, 2020