“The Heart of Sports” is a weekly column that curates the stories, pictures and moments that provide a window into the beating heart of sports:
- The moments in and around the game that are bigger than the game itself.
- The speeches to teammates and fans that are larger even than the game itself.
- The moments when sports is used as a platform for bigger social conversations.
- The thrilling moments from your childhood that you never forget.
- The tender moments among teammates.
It’s why we watch. It’s why we play. It’s the stuff that rises up out of sports and settles down into us.
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This week’s Edition of The Heart of Sports comes from the legacy of Kobe Bryant. In the aftermath of his passing, there was a mass sharing of stories about Kobe Bryant and his impact. In addition to his on-court exploits, his curiousity, his competitive fire and his mentorship of younger players, a lot of stories were about Kobe Bryant the father.
Kobe came into the league as an 18 year old kid. He did a lot of growing. LeBron James was much the same, entering the NBA out of high school and he’s now a fully grown man. We are lucky enough now to not only get to watch LeBron dominate on the court, but as a father rooting on his sons. It’s special.
Unfortunately, Kobe and his daughter Gigi were taken too soon. But part of his legacy was being a father to his four daughters. As he said, “I would have 5 more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.”
“I would have 5 more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.”@elleduncanESPN‘s story about how much Kobe loved his daughters is something special. pic.twitter.com/1KJx17QRjY
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 28, 2020
Kobe’s love for his daughters, his growing and changing relationship with Gigi, as they would sit courtside and talk basketball, was beautiful and inspirational. And it has sparked a movement of sorts, of other fiercely loving dads to girls who are happy to declare themselves #GirlDads.
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Photo Credit: Twitter/@elleduncan (Screen Capture)