Pinoys lose ‘dear friend’

MANILA, Philippines — It was a tragedy that broke the hearts of basketball-loving Filipinos.

Kobe Bryant, the NBA great and frequent Philippine visitor, perished in a helicopter crash along with his teenaged daughter Gigi and seven others. His tragic passing made it a gloomy Monday morning for a nation that shares his passion for hoops.

“Basketball and sports have lost a giant,” Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas chairman emeritus and sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan posted on Twitter yesterday.

Bryant, 41, was one of the Pinoys’ most beloved ballers, endearing himself even more by visiting the country seven times. He generously shared the “Mamba Mentality” that made him successful in basketball as well and in life, and even led a group of NBA stalwarts who played against a PBA selection and the Gilas Pilipinas side in the high-powered Smart All-Star Weekend in 2011.

“Kobe has been instrumental in catapulting the sport into the global stage. Philippine basketball has been a witness to his greatness,” said SBP president Al Panlilio.

Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, chairman of the Senate sports committee, expressed deep sadness, saying Bryant was his idol, and that he has a collection of Kobe shoes and jersey.

“But it is not only in basketball where Kobe had a huge impact. He is an inspiration of the youth and the rest of us, expecially when it comes to discipline, hard work and dedication to succeed,” he said.

“From the millions of Filipinos, whose lives you touched one way or another, we thank you, Kobe, for inspiring us to always give our best in what we do,” said Go.

Bryant’s greatness was the main focus of the statement from SBP execs Pangilinan and Panlilio.

“Kobe was greatness personified. From the way he carried himself to the work he puts into his game, committedly doing it with passion and with style,”  they said.

“His handful of trips to the Philippines has made him one of the most beloved NBA players among Filipino fans and we will remember these moments fondly, especially the Smart Ultimate All-Star Weekend, where he amazed us with his talent, and touched us with his authentic personality. Rest in peace, Kobe,” they added.

The PBA said it lost a “dear friend” in Bryant.

“Kobe was an exceptional basketball player but beyond that, he was known for his caring heart and love of family. His life was an inspiration and a lesson to everyone that with hard work, dedication and self-sacrifice, nothing is impossible. At 41, Kobe is gone too soon. But his legacy will last forever,” said the PBA in a statement.