R.I.P. Kobe Bryant

I came online this afternoon to the news that Kobe Bryant has died in a helicopter crash. I actually felt myself stop breathing in the shock, like what the FUCK? This is one of those deaths that's just hard to believe. I had to read 6 articles from official news outlets before I'd accept it as truth. The shit is just unreal. Just one day after publicly congratulating LeBron James for having surpassed his 3rd highest of all time scoring record, this happens? CRAZY.

And now TMZ Sports is reporting that his 13-year old daughter Gianna was among the other 4 deceased in the wreck. I haven't seen any confirmation from any other outlets confirming ANY other identities, so I sincerely hope it's not true. Reckless reporters are also attempting to place former Laker Rick Fox aboard the helicopter, but thank God, all accounts I've come across seem to refute that.

I've never been a Lakers fan but I loved me some Kobe when he first got in the league. As the years went on, he lost me with all the antics, but one can never take away what he was. Dude KILLED the game, and he won a lot of my respect back post-retirement. Give the man a microphone and the floor and he'd have you believing you could do anything.

41 years old....SMH. 2020, please don't be that year.

R.I.P. #KobeBryant