We all have people in our lives who influence us and gives us a vision for what we want to do. For many of the 76ers, Kobe Bryant falls into that category.
Kobe inspired a generation.
"He was my hero as a kid," Tobias Harris said following Sixers practice Monday in Camden, less than 24 hours after news circulated of Bryant's tragic passing in a helicopter crash, along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others aboard. "Hearing him getting up at six in the morning to go workout and being the first in the gym—those things inspired me as a player coming up. I kind of really try to model my work ethic after a guy like Kobe."
Harris, a Lakers fan as a kid, not only played against his childhood idol, but also got to know him personally a little bit in the off-season. The 27-year-old was part of a small group of players that got to train at Bryant's academy in Los Angeles for a couple days over the summer.
"During those two days I got a chance to talk to him, communicate with him and pick his brain on some different things basketball wise, and that for me was like a dream come true. Being able to get lessens taught by from Kobe was like once in a lifetime. Those dialogues and those communications that him and myself had I'll never forget."
Harris shared one of those conversations.
"He pulls for the Lakers heavy because that's where he played, but he said, 'Man, I love Philly. I want you guys to do it big. Philly's my home.' That's what he told me. I remember him saying that."
Like all of us, Harris was in shock about this past weekend's events. Saturday night, LeBron James surpassed Bryant for third on the all-time scoring list in the Lakers loss to the 76ers are Wells Fargo Center.
That night, Bryant congratulated James on Twitter.
The next morning, Bryant passed away, as did his daughter Gigi, who aspired to play in the WNBA.
"The whole timeline of it was just like unreal to me," Harris said.
You can bet the house the Sixers are going to honor Bryant Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center when they host the Golden State Warriors. How they'll exactly do that wasn't disclosed Monday.
What we did learn is the 76ers shared memories about Bryant amongst themselves Monday. For Brett Brown, it was getting a chance to chat with him privately for 45 minutes in his office during Bryant's farewell season.
Like Harris, Brown pointed out the Lower Merion High School icon loved Philadelphia.
"Like when you bumped into him, he was really interested in Philadelphia."
But, what also stood out to Brown during that one-on-one conversation four seasons ago was Bryant's interests beyond basketball, such as animation, kids literacy and other opportunities with Hollywood.
"He just was in the game" Brown said. "Like even when he was about to leave the game, he was in life. He lived it and you could see in his face. He had a glow."
The world is less brighter without Kobe, Gianna and the seven other victims. They were robbed of many more years, and for the Bryant's, it was Kobe's post-basketball goals and Gianna's desire to play the sport her father dominated for decades.
It's up to us to honor their memory, pass on their legacy and reminisce about the absolute fierce Philadelphia attitude Bryant brought to his game on a nightly basis.
One thing is for certain—the legend of Kobe will never die.
