Sunday, Jan. 26, was the fifth anniversary of the tragic death of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. He, his daughter Gigi and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash that occurred just minutes outside of Los Angeles back in 2020.
He is obviously remembered as one of the greatest basketball players ever, as well as one of the greatest winners and champions in the history of any sport. But over the years, he became a big advocate for women’s basketball and did a lot behind the scenes to help out the WNBA.
Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors superstar who is a legend in his own right, reflected on what the Black Mamba did to help females thrive in the sport of basketball.
Via The Athletic:
“He was the first one I saw consistently and to the masses promoting it,” Curry. “Not just Gigi’s team, but girls’ basketball in general. He spent his time reaching out — obviously his relationship with Sabrina [Ionescu], showing up at games, what he did at the academy and opening up facilities for them. He was an unbelievable role model in terms of putting his name and stamp on women’s basketball as something to invest in.”
Among other things, the elder Bryant helped launch the Sports Academy, a facility that helps people, particularly those under the age of 18, reach their athletic potential.
His impact on the WNBA, and women’s basketball in general, lives on long after his death. This past season, the league enjoyed record attendance and a spike in interest, thanks largely to the presence of rookie star Caitlin Clark. Before she entered the league, she helped generate an immense amount of interest in NCAA women’s hoops, as the 2024 national championship game she played in got the highest Nielsen ratings of any women’s basketball game in history.
Clark cites the Lakers great as one of her inspirations and has said she looks to emulate his famous “Mamba Mentality” during games.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Stephen Curry reflects on Kobe Bryant’s impact on women’s basketball
