A year ago, the world lost an icon whose popularity transcended the basketball court when Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash.
His accolades made him an unquestioned Hall of Fame basketball player, but who was he behind the scenes? Who was Bryant off the court with teammates in the locker room, out to dinner, and with his family? How was Bryant perceived as a teammate? What are things about Bryant the average fan didn’t know?
To find out answers to those questions and more, HoopsHype spoke with four of Bryant’s former teammates (Robert Sacre, Josh Powell, Jodie Meeks, and Kent Bazemore), two of his former assistant coaches (Melvin Hunt and Darvin Ham), and Brian Shaw, who played alongside and coached Bryant during five total championships.
