‘He Still Had Another Chapter He Wanted to Write’: Rick Barnes Reflects on the Life of Kobe Bryant
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes remembers the first time he saw Kobe Bryant.
It came at an Adidas high school basketball event in New Jersey that featured four courts packed full of upcoming talent. One of Barnes’ assistants had advised him to focus on one court in particular, but something else caught the veteran coach’s eye.
A high school kid from Pennsylvania was in the midst of putting on a show, one that caught the attention of every onlooker in sight.
For Barnes, it was the greatest high school showing he had witnessed, labeling Bryant the best high school player he had ever watched, citing his work ethic and determination as primary reasons.
“Everything that he did back then, he just took it to a different level,” Barnes said. “If you go back and look at the way he went about things, everybody knows about his training.”
Bryant, who spent 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996-2016, died in a helicopter crash in the hills of Calabasas, California on Sunday alongside his daughter, Gianna "GiGi" Bryant and seven other people.
The news shook the sports world, sending shockwaves from coast to coast.
Fans who attended the Lady Vols' matchup against LSU on Sunday were baffled. Kellie Harper labeled the locker room as "gut wrenched" once they were made aware.
A five-time NBA Champion and two-time NBA Finals MVP, Bryant was one of the fiercest competitors to ever step foot on a basketball court. He came into the league as an 18-year old kid that lacked college experience.
What transpired over the next two decades will go down as one of the greatest sports stories in modern America, despite its less-than-ideal ending.
That will remain one of the biggest what-ifs for basketball fans for years to come.
Bryant had just began to thrive in his life after basketball, both as a businessman and as a father to his four daughters. For many that have been around the game for years, that is what resonates the most.
“Once he was done (playing), he still had another chapter that he was wanting to write,” Barnes said. “With the way he he got involved with women’s basketball for his daughters.”
Barnes was attending his brother-in-law’s funeral when the news first broke, so his assistants delegated the news to the Vols, many of whom sport Bryant’s signature footwear on the court.
The reaction was one of both anguish and despair.
“When they told them what had happened, guys in the room started crying,” Barnes said. “I think that shows you the impact (that he had).”
Tennessee will wear purple shoelaces for Tuesday’s matchup against Texas A&M to honor Bryant’s memory.
If one aspect of No. 24’s legacy stood out to Barnes the most, it was his ability to impact individuals’ lives beyond the game of basketball.
“It just shows you the impact that a guy like Kobe Bryant can have.”
