Anthony Davis looks back at Kobe Bryant’s legacy as more than just a basketball player

With the first anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s shocking death coming up on Jan. 26, current Lakers forward Anthony Davis took time to reflect on the legacy of the Laker icon that included being a role model beyond the basketball court.

When Bryant died in a helicopter crash, he was with his daughter Gianna and seven other people, traveling to the younger Bryant’s basketball game.

The elder Bryant’s death at the age of 41 not only took him away from his wife Vanessa and his three surviving daughters, but it also cut short a post-basketball career that was going strong.

Between the time of Kobe Bryant’s retirement after 20 years in a Lakers uniform and his untimely death, he had won an Academy Award and served as a mentor for countless basketball players.

Yet, despite that busy schedule, Kobe Bryant made a concerted effort to maintain a strong influence within his own family. He took plenty of pride in raising his four daughters and embraced being a “girl dad.”

Kobe Bryant’s death devastated the NBA and the league’s players, though it’s clear from Davis’ comments that the legacy of the Laker legend is still going strong. The hope is that in the years that follow that Kobe Bryant’s presence as a role model will continue to resonate.