TODAY, August 23, is Kobe Bryant’s birthday. The Lakers superstar, who perished late January in a helicopter crash, would have turned 42.
Meanwhile, tomorrow is widely recognized as Kobe Day, as the date combines both of Bryant’s two playing numbers. It's a memorial day now officially recognized in Orange County, where Bryant lived.
Tributes for the late Lakers great are beginning to pour in on social media.
Over two successive Instagram posts, Thirdy Ravena posted this recreation: A mirror image of an iconic Jon SooHoo photograph from 1997, shot on assignment for Inside Sport Magazine right before Bryant’s second season.
“Love you always,” said the Japan-bound San-En NeoPhoenix player in a simple caption.
In a tribute published by ESPN right after the Black Mamba’s retirement, SooHoo remembered this shot of Kobe.
“During training camp ahead of Kobe's second season,” the photographer recalled, “Lakers PR man John Black let me set up at a racquetball court next to the gym, and I set my strip softbox (light) just above where I wanted Kobe to be and with another small softbox (light) to the left to fill or brighten the ball.”
Decades on, it’s become one of the most recognizable photographs of the 18-time NBA All Star.
Earlier today, Ravena also posted another Kobe photo — this time, of the Lakers guard meditating in a garden in Taiwan. Bryant was an advocate of the practice. In fact, he told Good Morning America that the idea to retire came to him during one of his meditation sessions.
Elsewhere on PBA social media, Alab Pilipinas coach and retired cager Jimmy Alapag uploaded his own Instagram birthday message for Bryant, and reposted a tribute from Adrian Wojnarowski as the caption.
Tomorrow, for Mamba Day, Alapag will be joined by Kiefer Ravena, Gilas Women’s Camille Clarin, and the “One Armed Mamba” Kat Tan, in a Mamba Day webinar sponsored by Nike.
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