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Kobe Bryant died unexpectedly on January 26, 2020. I have followed his career since he grew up close to where I lived when I was younger. I joined the Army October 2, 1996, enlisting at the Philadelphia MEPS station. A month later, Kobe was drafted out of a nearby Lower Merion high school and played his first game with the Los Angeles Lakers on November 2, 1996. Kobe played his last game on April 13, 2016 and I retired on October 31, 1996.
Kobe finished his career as an 18 time All-Star, 15-time member of the All- NBA team, 12-time member of the All Defensive team, and the NBA’s most valuable player in 2008. He helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA championships from 2000 to 2002 and 2009 and 2010. Kobe left a huge mark on the NBA and across the world.
I want to highlight 25 of his most recognized quotes.
25. “The most important thing is to try and inspire people so they can be great in whatever they want to do.”
24. “Everything negative — pressure, challenges — is all an opportunity for me to rise.”
23. “You can’t stop an artist from painting a picture. You can’t slow him down.”
22. “I don’t want to be the next Michael Jordan. I want to be Kobe Bryant.”
