Happy birthday, Kobe.

On the day Kobe Bryant would have turned 43 years old, we remember the defining characteristics that continue to make him larger than life. The following stories, written since Bryant's tragic death on Jan. 26, 2020, reflect the myriad ways in which his legend lives on

The most memorable games of Kobe's career

Where do we even begin?

  • 81.
  • 60 in his farewell.
  • 62 in three quarters against the Mavericks.
  • Game 4 vs the Pacers in the 2000 Finals.
  • Dropping 55 vs Michael Jordan.

Ask any Lakers fan for their five favorite Kobe games of all-time and you'll hear a slew of answers that includes the usual suspects. But the reservoir runs deep and the Lakers' legend provided no shortage of memories for fans across any generation. Maybe you're partial to early Kobe, the indignant young star who waved off Karl Malone in his first-ever All-Star game in order to challenge MJ one-on-one. Maybe you're living in a dreamland in which Kobe and Shaq never split up and you repeatedly harken back to moments like the series-clinching alley-oop in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals. Or maybe you're all-in on the twilight myth-making stage, which included gutting out a pair of made throws mere seconds after sustaining a career-altering Achilles injury. Maybe you're just down with international hoops and ride for his performance in the 2008 Gold Medal game vs Spain.

Regardless of your personal preference, Kobe provided something for everyone. Here's a closer look at our picks.

READ THE FULL STORY: The five greatest games of Kobe's career

Inside Kobe's most dominant run

Over the course of 13 games in January 2006, Bryant averaged an incredible 43.4 points per game, marking the greatest scoring month of his illustrious career. 

Sure, he dropped 81 points on the Raptors in one of the most iconic performances in NBA history..But it was so much more than that.

During the most prolific season of his career, Bryant soared to new heights in January 2006. In fact, you can count on one hand the number of players that have ever reached his ridiculous level of scoring. In celebration of Kobe Bryant's extraordinary career, The Sporting News revisited the most dominant run of his career.

READ THE FULL STORY: Kobe's finest - revisiting the most dominant stretch of his career

Kobe and MJ

(Getty Images)

He looked the part. He talked the part. He played the part.

For many years, Bryant looked like a character actor in a Michael Jordan play, carrying on the legacy of the GOAT with an impersonation so spot on you'd never know the difference if you didn't know any better. The scoring chops, the footwork, the tongue wag, the competitive fire, the defensive intensity, the endless pursuit of perfection, the off-the-court mystique... all of it.

For the entirety of his playing career, Jordan's ominipresent shadow brought the most out of Bryant, who used it as fuel to constantly keep climbing and enhance his own on-court stature. But towards the latter stages of his career and especially after his retirement, Kobe tapped into a humanistic vulnerability that made him universally relatable in ways even Jordan never did.

He mentored the next generation, showcased his creativity beyond basketball, proclaimed his love of coaching his daughter, openly advocated for the women's game, served as an international ambassador, and candidly opened up about his shortcomings.

He let others in and gave back to the game which gave him everything. And in the end, just as Jordan once brought out the best in Bryant, he brought out the best of Jordan as evidenced by Jordan's touching speech at his funeral which revealed a softened and vulnerable side not often — if ever — publicly put forth.

The following stories explore the evolution of their relationship and the mutual respect shared between arguably the two most popular athletes in the history of the sport.

READ THE FULL STORIES: The Kobe-MJ connection | The 1998 All-Star Game | MJ vs Kobe: who wins 1-on-1

The pain of losing a childhood hero

Aug. 18 and Aug. 23.

Two birthdays of two iconic legends gone far too soon.

Bryant's tragic death brought forth memories of Roberto Clemente, the 15-time MLB All-Star, NL MVP, and baseball Hall-of-Famer, whose on-field performance was surpassed only by his off-the-field philanthropy. Born Aug. 18, 1934, in Puerto Rico, Clemente tragically died at the age of 38 in a plane crash while delivering emergency relief supplies to Nicaragua following an earthquake. Like Bryant, Clemente's all-around majestic play captured the imaginations of purists and casual fans alike with a bat, glove, arm, and legs that could create magic out of nowhere. Like Bryant, his shocking premature death shook the foundations of society beyond the immediate sports world.

Following Bryant's death in 2020, The Sporting News senior writer Mike DeCourcy examined the parallels between their stories and the profound impact of deep connections developed between fans and heroes. 

READ THE FULL STORY: Kobe Bryant, Roberto Clemente, and the pain of losing a childhood hero

Gianna Bryant brought out the best side of her father

(Getty Images)

Former Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce summed up Gianna Bryant's impact on her father perfectly when first reacting to his death following the tragic events of Jan. 26, 2020.

"There's nothing more than the respect I have for [Kobe] as a father. Every image you see of him post-retirement is with his daughters, with his family. Everything you see online, on Twitter is about positivity. He's encouraging others, retweeting positive comments to others.

"And I think it's been the biggest transformation of a competitor to a human being that I've ever seen."

Whether breaking down a game sitting together courtside or playing one-on-one in the gym, Gianna and Kobe walked hand-in-hand as two kindred spirits, the former following in her father's footsteps and bringing out a soft, introspective side of her father not seen throughout the majority of his playing career. 

Bryant's relationship with Gianna went beyond the basketball court. He said she was the reason he made the film "Dear Basketball," which won an Academy Award. "My daughter gave me the best piece of advice. I was a little worried about turning this into a film. I’d never done something like that before," Bryant said after winning the Oscar for Best Animated Short in 2018. "We were in the house and talking about it as a family and my little 11-year-old Gianna goes, 'Well Dad, you always tell us to go after our dreams so … man up.' She’s 11. Man up. So I had to man up and go for it."

READ THE FULL STORY: How Gianna brought out the best version of Kobe

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