Inside the Nets game that produced a father-daughter moment seen round the internet.
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Kobe Bryant blew up my phone once.
He didnt have my number, although he was known to cold-call writers like that.
Hed text basketball players, too, with the same one-liners for superstars and teens alike.
In my two-year journey off the court with NBA players, no presence proved more influential than Kobe.
More than Michael Jordan.
(Except maybe the sneakers.)
(Except for his politics.)
He didnt give a fuck what anyone said.
What happened that morning, and that year, was sudden, and scary, and sad.
But Kobes legacy will be in the joy of its everywhere effect.
RIP, Kobe and Gigi.
Excerpt From ‘Cant Knock the Hustle’
Kobe hated goingto NBA games.
Now they were watching NBA League Pass together every night.
That was a call of duty.
But this, with Gigi, this was loveandbasketball.
This was seeing sport through her eyes.
She and Trae even shared their trainer with Kyrie.
And tonight, the Nets were playing Atlanta, in Brooklyn.Cmon, Dad!
All right, fuck it, Kobe told the trainer.
Lets just go to another fucking NBA game.
Gigi wants to go.
Fifteen minutes before tip-off, Spencer Dinwiddie spotted Kobe courtside.
Theyd talked and texted a few times, but hadnt been able to schedule a workout together.
24 jersey in his room.
Youre playing like an All-Star, Kobe told him.
Shit, man, Imtryin, Spencer said.
Nah, you aint tryin it.
Kenny Atkinson was coaching so hard that he didnt notice Kobe directly behind him.
The Barclays cameraman stepped closer toward Seats No.
7 and 8, and the scoreboard operator beamed Kobe and his daughter up into the Jumbotron.
The crowd smiled a little wider, too.
There was another burst of cheer in the second quarter, when Kobe stood up to greet Vince Carter.
How you holdin up in retirement?
Im happier than Ive ever been, man, Kobe said.
Expletives had been used.
Within two weeks, the father-daughter moment would be watched more than 68 million times from one tweet alone.
But Kobe wasnt thinking about his virality.
In the postgame courtside congregation, Kyrie waited his turn; hed had plenty of time with the professor.
Besides, Kobe wanted to speak with KyrieandSpencer, together.
Man, you know why you didnt get forty?
Cuz you werethinkinabout forty.
You gotta go out there and think aboutsixty.
And then you just fall rightintofifty.
Cuz you couldaeasilyhad fifty tonight.
The three of them shared a good, strong laugh, and Spencer hugged the poster on his wall.
Youre an All-Star in my book, Kobe reiterated.
Kobe stepped out of the Suburban and turned back around.
He knew Kyries alma mater.
He used to play against them in his Philly days and talk trash in Italian.
But Kobe immediately recognized the junior forward Jonathan Kuminga as one of the top prospects in the nation.
Whats your game plan?
Kobe asked the team.
All the kids answered all over one another.
Feel good about it?
Then go out and do it.
He had not expected to see his guests, happy to pay their way and receive no thanks whatsoever.
Kyrie asked the boys.
Uh,yeah, we metKobe!
You guys are good?
OK, now what we doing against Roselle?
After midnight, Jon Kuminga direct-messaged Kobe on Instagram.
Go get em!!!
Copyright 2021 by Matt Sullivan.
From Dey Street Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
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