IT’S no question that Kobe Bryant left a lasting imprint on a lot of people.
One die-hard Kobe fan literally has a mark of her idol on her body.
Former varsity player Kathryn Tan got not just one, but two tattoos symbolizing Bryant a month after the NBA legend and his daughter Gianna were killed alongside seven other people in tragic a helicopter crash last January.
Kat proudly showed her ink in a video chat with Spin.ph days before Bryant would’ve celebrated his 42nd birthday on Sunday, Manila time.
One tattoo is above her right elbow, resembling Kobe’s brand logo, which portrays the sheath of a samurai sword.
“Pina-tatt ko siya because I wanted to have a reminder of how Kobe inspired me since Day One, and that he will always be with me in my journey, whether it’s in basketball or life in general,” Kat said. “Because that’s how Kobe had an impact in my life, it goes beyond basketball.”
The other tattoo near her right wrist has “Mamba Forever” engraved below the number “24” cleverly wrapped inside Kobe’s other jersey number “8”.

“I had the Mamba Forever tattoo on my forearm so that whenever I see it, I get to be motivated by it,” Kat said. “It always reminds me to do better in everything, and that’s what Mamba Mentality is. It drives me to be better in pursuit of being the best version of myself.”
Kat herself is an inspiration and an embodiment of the “Mamba Mentality.” She’s known for her resilience, having lost her left arm in a school fair accident when she was a kid but recovering and playing good enough to make the roster of her De la Salle Zobel varsity team on her second try — after being cut the first time when she still had both her arms.
Around the time, she became a fan of Kobe and was present each time Bryant paid a visit to the country, from the first time in 1998 and the last one in 2016 months after his retirement from a basketball career that saw him earn his tag as one of the greatest of all time.

Now, Kat, who turns 34 in September, keeps Kobe’s spirit alive by being an inspiration as a basketball coach and a graphic designer at DLSZ.
“He may not be physically present anymore but, his legacy will always be with me. I am who I am today, The One-Armed Mamba, because of Kobe," said Kat, who also has a tattoo of the date of her accident on her left side.
Spin fans unite at the Spin Viber Community! Join the growing community now and complete the experience by subscribing to the Spin Chatbot.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph