It seems that all the words have already been said, and the tears have been cried out.

Mourning events, memorial tournaments, documentaries and films - since the death of Kobe Bryant, have not paid tribute to the memory of the legend.

The abundance of options for forms of gratitude is not at all surprising: a defender who spent his entire career at the same club has become an icon, a real role model for at least three generations.

After all, in 20 years of playing in the National Basketball Association, he never dropped the bar below the superstar level.

Otherwise I would not have achieved anything: neither on the floor, nor in life.

It is almost impossible to say anything new about the Lakers legend today.

His NBA career with five league titles and two Finals MVP titles has been sorted out almost every day.

The story of enmity and reconciliation with the equally legendary teammate and then opponent Shaquille O'Neal is told in detail.

The mechanisms of his lucrative projects, which allowed building a real business empire around the Kobe Bryant brand and bringing in $ 20 million a year even after his death, were studied.

However, even a year after the death of Kobe Bryant continues to amaze.

By the fact that it changes the world and motivates people who are not familiar with it live or have tangentially touched it.

Millions of basketball-addicted kids re-watch defender's best moments - and try to learn from the best.

They hear stories about the incredible work ethic that made the veteran, even at 34, be the first to come to the gym long before dawn in order to maintain the highest tone - and they take this attitude as a basis.

They find themselves in a team with former teammates of Bryant or people against whom Kobe played - and imbued with his fighting spirit.

After all, "Black Mamba" really was not like the others.

“After an exhibition match in Manchester, we went to the city to rest.

And there we met all the players of the US national team, except for two.

One of them - Anthony Davis - was not yet 21 years old, so coach Mike Krzyszewski forbade him to go to the bar.

And the second was Kobe ... He trained somewhere - he was dissatisfied with his level of play in that meeting, ”recalls Kiron Achara, the forward of the 2012 British Olympic team.

Bryant competed in the NBA All-Star Game 18 times, but never treated it like a show.

Even in the exhibition games, Kobe wanted to win and take the main prizes.

He was incredibly demanding of partners, but only because he was also uncompromising with himself.

And he respected the game - regardless of who came out against him on the site.

Eyewitnesses recalled that even in training battles on school grounds, where NBA stars were chosen to keep fit in the offseason, Bryant gave his all.

“At Loyola Marymount University, where I studied, Kobe organized a basketball summer camp for children.

I went there one day and saw him playing against James Harden and Demar DeRozan.

What epic battles unfolded on the site between Bryant and Harden.

To see such talent in action was something amazing, it immediately became clear at what high level Bryant was playing, "admitted Ashley Hamilton, a witness of those confrontations, who was screened in the Lakers.

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The legendary athlete has always treated children with the utmost care.

Kobe called his four girls the most valuable thing in life.

Therefore, when Gianna followed in her father's footsteps and began to demonstrate the makings of an excellent basketball player, Bryant's joy knew no bounds.

Indeed, at one time it was Kobe who gave a very powerful impetus to the development of women's basketball and drew attention to the women's NBA.

Due to the fact that the athlete coached Gianna, often attended her school games and talked about the desire to see her daughter in the WNBA in a couple of years, sponsors became interested in the tournament.

In addition, the competition was no longer perceived as a summer addition to men's tournaments, since Bryant, in word and deed, emphasized the importance of getting equal basketball opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender.

Thanks to Kobe and his collaboration with Nike, a special line of sports shoes for girls was released, which remains the leading one today.

As noted by Rachel Wonderwall, one of the brightest stars of the final part of the women's Eurobasket 2019, even in Europe, Bryant's legacy of promoting women's basketball is incredibly valuable.

Finally - no matter how pretentious it may sound - Kobe is still perceived as an apologist for the idea of ​​"achieve the impossible."

Throughout his career, he chased the shadow of a man who, it seemed, could not be outstripped.

And despite the burning hatred of his enemies, he challenged Michael Jordan over and over again: he repeated his achievements in victories in championships, bypassed in individual categories, gaining 81 points per evening, and broke performance records.

He returned to basketball after serious injuries - and on the killed "Achilles" continued to make history.

Finally, he stayed true to the colors of the only team he joined right from school (another "impossible" for the modern NBA, which Bryant left out of the box) and then backed up its greatness with his performances for 20 years.

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He was written off by experts, brought to a nervous breakdown by journalists, accused of crimes by the authorities, and betrayed by friends.

But every time Kobe remained himself - and went out onto the floor as if nothing had happened to continue to create basketball magic.

The players around him, the coaches, the service staff changed, but people still came to the Staples Center to look at Bryant - and to see if he could beat the word "impossible" again.

And Kobe has never failed.

Even in his last game ...

January 26 marks exactly one year since Kobe died in a plane crash.

And all NBA matches would probably be preceded by minutes of silence and appropriate ceremonies.

However, the athlete's family asked the Association not to hold commemorative events in his honor.

Nevertheless, every person involved in basketball today will surely remember the legend.

After all, his legacy has left an imprint on the soul of everyone who has ever touched an orange ball.