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On Tuesday, ESPN’s Stephen A Smith joined Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning team to talk about the tragic passing of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna this past Sunday.
“It is devastating to say the least,” Smith said.
Smith, who covered the Philadelphia 76ers for years before joining ESPN, was very close to Bryant from both their days together in Philadelphia and Smith’s job covering the NBA. In fact, Smith said he celebrated the New Year earlier this month with Bryant.
“He was looking forward to his second life,” Smith said. “He had put in his 20 years as a superstar in the NBA, and he had moved on. Won an Academy Award, was looking forward to writing more children’s books, developing content for ESPN and Disney Plus, and all of that stuff. He was talking about that, but he was more excited for his daughter (Gianna) than anything else. He was telling guys like myself, Jay-Z and others ‘Wait until you see her play. She is going to be special.’”
Bryant’s relationship with the city of Philadelphia was a complicated one at times but it was also one, according to Smith, that was very important to Bryant.
“One of the greatest moments in his career was when he ultimately came here for his last game (in 2015) and Philadelphia embraced him the way it did,” Smith said. “It was the closure he finally needed. He got love from the city that he loved so much throughout the years.”
Bryant’s complicated relationship with the city stated in 2001 when he said he wanted to tear Philadelphia’s heart out during the Los Angeles Lakers’ matchup with the Sixers in the NBA Finals. The next year, at the 2002 NBA All-Star game in Philadelphia, Bryant was booed by fans when he touched the ball.
“When he spoke about Philadelphia and wanting to tear it’s heart out, he thought it would be something Philadelphia appreciated. We all know Philadelphia to be one of the greatest sports towns alive, rabid followers, blue collar, take-no-prisoners, have all the guts in the world and no matter who the opponent is, we are coming to take you out,” Smith said. “So in his mind, he thought Philadelphia would love that part about him, not realizing they resented him for it. In the years to come, when he heard the boos from Philadelphia, he was incredibly stung by all of that.”
According to Smith, the incident lead to Bryant feeling a need to mend the relationship with Philadelphia.
“He wanted that desperately. Everything else he had accomplished in his career — that was a little bit different, because that was just playing basketball and being great,” Smith said. "But in Philadelphia, they will respect your greatness, but their love and appreciation for you has to be reciprocated. In Philadelphia, no matter how great you are, if you don’t love and respect this city, they are not going to love you back. They will always respect you because the city of Philadelphia knows talent when it is looking at it, but in terms of that love and admiration, you are not getting that from Philadelphia unless you give it. Kobe always felt that he gave it, until he received the reception that he did (in 2002), and then he realized you know what, it might have been misconstrued, so let me at every turn remind Philadelphia how much I love this town and how much I believe I am part of this town.”
Philadelphia gave Bryant the moment he wanted, needed and deserved in 2015, when during his final game in the city, he was greeted with standing ovations and cheers by fans.
“It was the closure to the basketball career he needed,” Smith said, “at least that is what he told me.”