It's been a year since Kobe Bryant tragically died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. The crash took the lives of all nine people aboard the chopper, including Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. As soon as the news broke, the world began to mourn. From his time as an NBA player in the '90s, Kobe became an icon to so many, and the tragic way he passed hit everyone hard.
Kobe's death kicked off what would ultimately be a hard and sad year in general, and it's difficult to believe that he and Gianna have been gone for a whole year already. But the anniversary of their passing is also the right time to honor their memory and send positive thoughts to the rest of the Bryant family — including Kobe's wife Vanessa and their three daughters Natalia, Bianka, and Capri.
These photos of Kobe, Gianna, and the whole Bryant family show the many sides of Kobe — basketball star, Oscar winner, doting father, loving husband, and so much more.
Family Photo
Kobe was a big family guy, and group photos of him with his wife and kids were common. Shortly after his death, this is the picture that Vanessa Bryant chose to post to honor her husband. "We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children," she wrote.
All Smiles
The helicopter crash that killed Kobe also took the life of his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, whom he fondly referred to as Gigi. Here they are pictured at a basketball event in early 2019. Gigi was proving herself to be a basketball prodigy just like her father, and the two of them were headed to a game when their chopper went down.
Dunk Champ
Kobe was known for his epic dunking ability. Here he's pictured just before slamming the ball into the net in 1996 — shortly after his NBA career started. He went on to win the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest as an 18-year-old rookie. It was the beginning of a wonderful and impressive career on the court for the Black Mamba, as he liked to call himself, using the name of the venomous snake.
Playing the Pros
Early in his career, Kobe had a chance to go up against one of the greats — Michael Jordan. They competed in the 1998 All-Star game against each other, and though Kobe's team couldn't beat Michael's, the iconic duo went on to become great friends. Michael later spoke — and sobbed — at Kobe's memorial.
Kissing His Championship Ring
Throughout his decades-long career, Kobe won five championships — second only to Michael Jordan's six. The winning players are gifted fancy championship rings, and Kobe loved to parade his around. Here he is kissing one of his jewels during a ceremony at his home arena in 2010.
Bring Your Daughter to Work Day
Natalia is Kobe and Vanessa's oldest child, and she just recently turned 18. To commemorate her big day, Vanessa posted this throwback photo of Kobe and Natalia on the Lakers court. We love everything about this picture, from Natalia's designer Gucci baby shoes to the loving smile on Kobe's face. One thing is for sure, he really loved his kids.
Goofing Around With Shaq
Before Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat, he and Kobe played together on the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 to 2004. They won multiple championships together and became great friends. Here they are goofing around during a visit to the White House. Shaq captioned the photo, "#missyoulegend."
Pure Passion
Not only was Kobe one of the greatest NBA players of all time, but he was one of the players who put the most heart into the game. His expression here is classic Kobe — whether he was dunking the ball, hitting a three, or winning the whole game, he was this excited about the sport all the time.
Last Game
In April 2016, Kobe retired from professional basketball at the age of 37. But he didn't leave the sport without going out on a high note. He scored a whopping 60 points in his last game against the Utah Jazz, and then he bid his Staples Center fans a sweet goodbye with his hand pointing to the sky.
Courtside With Gianna
Since their deaths, this has become one of the most iconic photos of Kobe and Gianna. They were sitting courtside at a basketball game, both enjoying the sport they loved with one another. After their deaths, the Brooklyn Nets team honored Kobe and Gianna with two empty courtside seats in their memory.
Throwback With Vanessa
For what would have been their 19th wedding anniversary, Vanessa posted this photo of her and Kobe when they were younger. "My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary baby," she captioned the photo. "I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you."
It just breaks our heart.
Winning an Oscar
To announce his retirement, Kobe wrote a lengthy poem about his love for the sport. And that poem eventually became the inspiration for the animated short film Dear Basketball. In 2018, he won an Oscar for the project, which he'd written and narrated. He looks so excited with his trophy here. No matter what arena he was in, he was always winning.
Proud Papa
Fatherhood was another arena that Kobe excelled in. He was the father of four daughters — Natalia, Bianka, Gianna, and Capri — and he was well known for proudly calling himself a "girl dad." To honor her late husband on Father's Day 2020, Vanessa posted this throwback of Kobe with all his kids. In the caption, she called him "the BEST daddy in the world."
True Love
Just like he loved his kids, Kobe loved his wife, whom he married in 2001. They had their ups and downs, but they made it through. For their 18th wedding anniversary, Kobe posted this picture of him lovingly kissing his wife. "Ti Amo per Sempre," he captioned it — meaning, "I'll love you forever."
Winning an Olympic Medal
It's a huge honor to be selected for an Olympic team, and Kobe was among the greats for the 2012 Olympics in London. His team, which included all-stars like LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Kevin Durant, ended up winning Team USA a shiny gold medal. Kobe was one of the older players on the team, and he looked so proud to be representing his country.
Father-Daughter Time
This photo from 2019 is one of the last pictures of Gianna and Kobe together, and it's such a sweet one. "My Gigi," he captioned it. Obviously Kobe loved all of his children, but he seemed to have a special bond with Gianna, likely due to their shared love of basketball. And photos like this highlight that bond.
Happy Halloween
The Bryant family always goes all out for Halloween. In 2019, Kobe dressed as the Wizard of Oz, and the rest of his family were all characters from the film. Gianna went as the Tin Man, Natalia was the scarecrow, Bianka was Dorothy, Capri was the Cowardly Lion, and Vanessa was the wicked witch.
New Halloween Memories
Halloween 2020 hit different for the Bryants without Kobe and Gianna there. But they still dressed up – twice. They did one family costume as characters from Star Wars and another as characters from Madeline. "Roller coaster of a week. Thx to our loving village we’re getting through it. One day at a time," Vanessa wrote in the caption.
What Are Friends For?
Part of the village of people helping Vanessa and her family through this hard time is Vanessa's friend — singer Ciara, pictured here with Vanessa and her kids. "Thank you to all my loving family, amazing friends and wonderful fans for your love and support," Vanessa captioned the sweet group shot.
A Different Kind of Family Photo
For Christmas, Vanessa posted an updated family photo — just her and her three daughters. But she made sure to note in the caption that they were all missing those who couldn't be there with them. "Always Together, Never Apart Together Forever In Our Hearts. Kobe, Vanessa, Natalia, Gianna, Bianka and Capri," she wrote.
Aww.
