On Monday, basketball legends past and present, from the college ranks to the NBA and WNBA, gathered at Staples Center in Los Angeles to celebrate the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant. During the memorial service, Kobe's wife Vanessa and several prominent basketball figures, including Michael Jordan, Shaq and Diana Taurasi, spoke to the 20,000+ in attendance about Kobe's legacy both on and off the court, as well as the impact he had on the sport, and the world as a whole.
On Tuesday, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady offered his thoughts about the Black Mamba in a letter titled, "What's Really Important?"
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Brady writes, "Kobe didn’t care whether you were a man or woman, boy or girl, black or white, rich or poor, ordinary or extraordinary, he wanted to help you become the best you could be. His mere presence had an effect on everybody he was around. He had the energy to recognize in others what they could not recognize in themselves."
With that in mind, Brady preached how important it is to continue that leadership and positivity, and how it falls on all of us to honor his legacy by seizing the day.
"The world we live in is full of people telling kids and adults “you can’t,” “you shouldn’t,” “you won’t,” or “you never will.” The world we live in is teaching EVERYONE to fear, to worry, to shame or to give up. and that’s the opposite of what Kobe stood for. That’s what made Kobe a real superhero. He spoke about mentality with such conviction, about the idea that if you truly believed in something you could achieve it… you could overcome the obstacles in your path. And not just that, he walked the walk and did the work. He pushed others to find that same confidence. He was the real life superhero our world needs."
Scroll through Brady's IG post embedded below to read his full message about Kobe's everlasting impact.