Dearica Hamby still smiles at the memory of Kobe Bryant sitting courtside at WNBA games.
She had met him years ago. He came to see her old team, the Las Vegas Aces, play all the time.
鈥淚 think one of the first things he told me was that I could play defense,鈥� Hamby recalled. 鈥淎nd I was kind of like 鈥榃ha-at?鈥� 鈥� That鈥檚 something I鈥檒l cherish with me forever.鈥�
That epitomized the late NBA great鈥檚 relationship with the women鈥檚 game. After his 20-year playing career ended, Bryant turned his focus to the next generation, mentoring some of women鈥檚 basketball鈥檚 biggest stars, from WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist Diana Taurasi to former Oregon star Sabrina Ionescu.
He worked out with them, analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of their game and pushed for them to reach the same heights in popularity that he and his NBA peers did.
For Hamby, now with the Los Angeles Sparks, Bryant saw an aspect of her game she didn鈥檛 even know she had.
鈥淚f Kobe tells you you can play defense, you can play defense,鈥� she quipped.
Five years after Bryant, 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, several women鈥檚 basketball players reflected on what he meant to their game and how he championed it. Many of them thought Bryant would be pleased with the overall progress of women鈥檚 sports, which have skyrocketed in popularity and reach in recent years.
That growth has been most prominent in the women鈥檚 basketball arenas that Bryant and Gianna loved so much.
The WNBA last season had its most-watched regular season in 24 years and its best attendance in 22 seasons. Some of the league鈥檚 most popular players currently are competing in a new 3-on-3 league in South Florida called Unrivaled, founded by Olympic gold medalists Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.
鈥淲e carry this on for him,鈥� said Satou Sabally, a forward with the WNBA鈥檚 Dallas Wings who plays for the Phantom squad in Unrivaled. 鈥淗e would be so proud of this league. He would be proud of 鈥橮he and Stewie. I know that he鈥檚 looking down and hopefully he鈥檚 smiling and is proud of us.鈥�
Sabally said she still gets emotional when she thinks of that day on Jan. 26, 2020. It reminds her of her playing days at Oregon, when she, Ionescu and their Ducks teammates connected over Bryant.
鈥淚 think about 鈥� how we all bonded together over Kobe and how we bonded together for the rest of our lives because he was so impactful,鈥� Sabally added. 鈥淗e was really a person that saw us women as the talents who we are. He came to the games, he was so outspoken and he really was really supportive.鈥�
The shock of the superstar鈥檚 death echoed throughout the sports and entertainment worlds, with many taking to social media to post emotional tributes to Bryant while expressing their disbelief.
People were glued to their phones and TV screens as news of the crash spread. NBA players were in tears ahead of games that day.
鈥淚 still remember exactly where I was whenever we heard the news,鈥� said Kate Martin of the Golden State Valkyries, playing for Laces BC at Unrivaled, 鈥渁nd no one really knew if it was fake or real. I think that鈥檚 just one of those things where you鈥檙e just always going to remember exactly where you were when you heard that.鈥�
Martin never met Bryant but said she cherishes his mentality 鈥� he had a relentless competitiveness 鈥� and the way he elevated women鈥檚 sports.
Bryant became heavily involved with his daughters鈥� hoops journeys and coached Gianna鈥檚 youth team. He was often at women鈥檚 basketball games, especially college ones, with Gianna, who was fascinated with the UConn Huskies. Gianna was in line to further Bryant鈥檚 legacy on the court. The plan was for her to attend Connecticut, and surely the WNBA was next.
Bryant was passionate about women鈥檚 sports despite the belief of some that he should not have been involved with the women鈥檚 game at all because of a 2003 charge accusing him of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old employee at a Colorado resort.
Bryant had said the two had consensual sex, and the charge was eventually dropped when the woman declined to testify at trial. The woman later filed a civil suit against Bryant that was settled out of court.
There鈥檚 an image that still circulates in the sports world today: Kobe and Gianna sitting courtside at a 2019 game featuring his Los Angeles Lakers. He wore a bright orange pullover with a white WNBA logo on the front. Gianna sat beaming at his side.
鈥淚 think a lot of people started to follow behind Kobe because he recognized our gift and our talent and how special it really is,鈥� said former Chicago Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon, the current coach of Unrivaled鈥檚 Vinyl BC. 鈥淎nd his daughter was right there as well.鈥�
That鈥檚 who Bryant had become 鈥� a face of women鈥檚 sports advocacy.
鈥淗e鈥檚 greatly missed,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淏ut now his legacy will live on forever.鈥�
