“It’s hard to overstate what Kobe means to me,” said Alejandro Fernandez, who lived in Los Angeles for nine years and is a lifelong Lakers fan. “Like all basketball fans, Kobe entertained and wowed me with his on-court heroics and meticulous mastery of the game. But more importantly, off the court he provided a blueprint for how I approach my life and how I attack every single day. For me, the essence of Kobe goes beyond a mentality – it’s a lifestyle. I never met him, but when he passed I felt the pain of losing a family member who has been there as long as I can remember and still had so much to give and teach me. He left us too soon but I believe his legacy goes beyond basketball and lives on, in all of us who continue to do our best Kobe impressions every single day.”
“I grew up playing basketball, but more than basketball the dedication to the game. The dedication to anything you’re passionate about. I take that into my everyday life,” said Lakers fan Edgar Vega.
“It was always tradition for me to watch Kobe’s games every single night, and try to do what he did (on my court) outside,” Lakers fan Greg Carlos said. “I’d go to school in my Kobe 6’s and my Kobe jersey and people knew me as ‘Kobe boy’ because I was obsessed with him. If I was struggling with anything in life I knew no matter what, when I watched his game later it would all be okay. He was someone who I thought was invincible.”
"Kobe Bryant to me will always represent excellence through hard work and unrelenting determination whether it was on the court, in business, or even with his commitment to family," said fan Cody Davis of Ontario. "What I found most inspiring about Kobe was that he was someone who truly embraced the process of grinding and getting better every day. He knew that talent could only carry someone so far. In order to be great, a person must be willing to put in the work, learn from mistakes and filter out distractions."
“Kobe was the reason why I fell in love with the game,” said Armando Flores, who is from Los Angeles. “Kobe was the reason why I love LA sports teams with such deep passion. It’s not a goodbye but I’ll see you soon.”
“Kobe was more than an athlete. He was a basketball legend, an international icon,” popular Lakers fan Twitter user @TheRealSignGuy1 said. “He showed us what complete dedication to his sport, franchise and fanbase is all about. I got to watch him from the hardwood of the Great Western Forum to the house he and Shaq built! He was a gift from Jerry West, Vlade Divac and the basketball gods!”