Perish

Bryant loved the game fully—and yet, he could never love it as much as he loved being a doting father to four young girls. And fans rejoiced as his 13-year-old, Gianna, the apple of his eye, grew her own burgeoning basketball career. Truly this was a sports god, a man who was, in a word, invincible.

And so when Bryant, Gianna and seven good friends perished that foggy January 26, 2020, morning in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on their way to a youth basketball tournament where Bryant was going to coach, the shock and disbelief were powerful. This would be a “where were you when you found out” moment for the sports world and the cultural one beyond. As O’Neal said, “I’m sick; this is gonna hurt for a long, long time.” To which he added the only words that summed up fan reaction: “He will be remembered.”