Kobe Bryantalways made certain that parenting came before sports.
In a November interview withCBS This Morning, just over two months before histragic deathat 41 in a helicopter crash that also killed his 13-year-old daughterGianna, Bryant explained the way he balanced being a dad and basketball coach.
“Doesn’t matter,” he said at the time of any shortcomings on the court. “You know, you’re my daughter before you’re a basketball player, and it’s important that she knows that that’s how I feel.”
He continued: “And those aren’t words — you have to behave that way; you have to show her that after a tough game, you get in the car and it’s forgotten.”
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In 2018, Bryantopened up to PEOPLEabout coaching his daughter Gianna (nicknamed Gigi) in basketball, and how he used it as an opportunity to teach them life lessons.
“A valuable lesson that I can teach them is what it means topursue excellenceand the commitment level that comes with that,” Bryant said. “At the same time, making things fun and challenging, and learning new things. But they’re having a blast. … It’s been fun.”
Bryant previously said Gigi was set on continuing her father’s legacy in the basketball world, andWNBA playersandwomen’s college basketball teamseven paid tribute to the up-and-coming young sports star after her death.
Remembering Bryant in the wake of his loss, a friend of the familytold PEOPLEthat the dad always put his wife and daughters ahead of all else.
“One of the biggest things he was looking forward to afterretiringfrom the NBA [in 2016] was getting to spend more time with his family,” the source said. “He was a very hands-on dad and, like any other father, saw such bright futures for all of his daughters.”
The source added: “He was so proud to see them take after not only him and Vanessa, but also grow into their own. He had a special bond with each of his daughters.”
source: people.com
