Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash did not just battle with Kobe Bryant for most of their careers, but he also had the opportunity to be teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers legend.
Now, on the anniversary of Kobe's passing, Nash admitted that the tragedy of his death doesn't necessarily lie in the basketball court but in his role as a father.
Per Nick Friar of USA Today, Nash reflected on the Black Mamba's life and shared his admiration for Bryant's transformation into a great father to his children.
“We know Kobe, the basketball player. We know the drive and competitive nature, gifts, talent and the resume,” the former Lakers guard and now Nets coach said on a Zoom call with reporters.
“What I think is most important, in my eyes, is his career arc from some rough moments with his personality to how he redeemed all that and became so beloved by so many. For me, most importantly, he became an incredible father. That, to me, is the tragedy of Kobe passing. He was an incredible father and was just starting to embark on that chapter of his life. That was remarkable and something I really admired about him.”
After Kobe Bryant retired in 2016, he remained close to the game by serving as her daughter Gigi's basketball coach. The Lakers icon also had three more daughters with his wife Vanessa. Though fans congratulated the couple, they secretly wanted Kobe to have a son who would carry the torch. But Bryant famously declared that he's proud to be a “Girl Dad.”
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