Who doesn’t remember Kobe Bryant’s Death? It is not something that we lose a celebrity who was an inspiration for all! But was Kobe Bryant just an NBA player? Where did the nickname “Black Mamba” come from? Read the article to learn more!
Five NBA titles and Kobe Bryant was a star! But did you know there were shadows behind this star? His past is ridden with accusations and a messy court case after he was charged with sexual assault! The man who won two Olympic gold medals was close to breaking up, and that is when Black Mamba came!
In this article, I will highlight why the Black Mamba was not just a nickname created by Kobe for himself in one of the lowest points of his career. You will also learn about details about his achievements and death!
Who Is Kobe Bryant?
Creator of an incredible legacy, he died in a helicopter crash in 2020! What can be sadder than that? The Black Mamba was an effort to separate the personal from the professional because, at the height of his career, he got sucked into one of the biggest controversies of his life.
One of the most popular players in the NBA, Kobe Bryant, was the face of the Lakers, the NBA basketball team. He was an American professional basketball player with a year career in the National Basketball Association.
The shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers was considered a hero, especially with his hard work, dedication, determination, inspiration, and fearlessness. Kobe Bryant followed in the footsteps of Michael Jordan, another star NBA player who finally overcame him in terms of achievements.
The Philadelphia-born basketball player helped many people throughout his life and has a beautiful family! The unfortunate incident took him away from his wife, Vanessa Bryant, and his daughter, Natalie Diamante Bryant. The Kobe Bryant crash also claimed the life of his daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant!
The Alter Ego “The Black Mamba”!
But Kobe Bryant was not always considered a hero as in 2003, he was accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in Colorado! Charges against Byant were brought up, leading to serious impacts on his performance and his life.
In the auto-documentary released in 2015, Bryant expressed his suffering both on and off the game, especially because of his court hearings between 2003 and 2004. He states that he was at the top of his game, but unfortunately, with the charges brought against him, he became completely clueless about life!
It is when he created his alter ego, “Black Mamba,” as the person handling issues that he will be facing in court while Kobe, the individual, will be dealing with his “personal challenges”! His need to organize things both in his life and in court led to the creation of his alter ego.
The ‘Black Mamba’ Was More Than Just Kobe Bryant’s Nickname- It Was His Alter Ego!
In an interview with The Washington Post in 2018, Kobe Bryant stated that the idea of Black Mamba came to him when he was watching the movie, “Kill Bill” by Quentin Tarantino! In the movie, he saw that one assassin kills a character by using a black mamba during a fight.
The interview with Kent Babb was electric as Kobe highlighted why he got that name in his head as his alter ego! “The length, the snake, the bite, the strike, the temperament” made him feel that he was it! He was to be the Black Mamba!
He needed something to feel like he was in control! It is especially significant because, with the Black Mamba perception, he thought he knew how to organize things. It made him feel like he was not in over his head.
Instead, he realized that he needed to understand how the game was played on both the basketball and the court! He informs Babb that he is done trying to prove himself innocent; more importantly, he convinces himself that the young athlete needs to go! In his place comes a man who has to reveal his darkness!
Why Did Kobe Bryant Felt The Need For His Alter Ego?
The man, Kobe Bryant, inspired many, but what lurked inside him was exposed once he identified himself as the Black Mamba! The events in Colorado were severe; if he did not work on his mental health, it would drown out his professional brilliance.
“Muse,” his auto-documentary, has a lot of instances where he directly does not mention the events but talks about how his alter ego helped him during his low point. The alternate persona, the Black Mamba, helped him deal with his struggles!
The popular NBA player was often called ferocious, even as a calm man! In the interview, he informed that ferociousness and aggression were unrelated to his game or his opponent. Instead, the fight that he felt was going on within himself!
For him, making the opponent lose or demolishing them was a way for the NBA player to deal with all the darkness and rage within himself. He thought they were just in his way and aimed to achieve his best game with dedication and hard work!
Kobe Bryant’s Death!
The death of Kobe Bryant was shocking! So, what do we know about his death? The Kobe Bryant death date was on 26 January 2020 when a helicopter carrying nine people on board careened towards California hillside and finally crashed. Kobe Bryant was one of those nine people!
Shock! That’s how the world reacted to the news of Kobe’s death! A routine trip to a youth basketball game became one of the NBA industry’s biggest tragedies. Byant has used this helicopter for years, so how come it crashed?
The helicopter passengers included Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, Keri, and John Altobelli with their daughter Alyssa, Christina Mauser, the assistant coach, Sara Chester, and her daughter Payton!
According to the assumptions made based on the reports of the helicopter’s history on that day, it is said that low altitude, mountainous terrain, and low visibility might be reasons for the crash!
Conclusion
Kobe Bryant has been a prayer in the NBA industry, and people chanted his name like a prayer! Unfortunately, the world lost him to a helicopter crash, an accident that was unprecedented and unpredictable—often raising questions about fate and God and the reason behind such loss!
The black mamba, the alter ego of Kobe Bryant, helped him during a crisis! It is not only a story but also a lesson for others on how to deal with low times and personal issues.
Comment below about your favorite NBA player and whether Kobe ever inspired you!
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