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ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IMPRESSED ME ABOUT KOBE, AS MUCH AS HIS ATHLETICISM, WAS HIS POISE, AND HOW ORDINARY HE WAS.

TOM MCGOVERN

HE HAD THIS STEADY SORT OF [MENTALITY]: THIS IS MY RESPON SIBILITY AND I’M NOT GOING TO USE ANYTHING AS AN EXCUSE. JEANNE MASTRIANO

KOBE BRYANT 1978-2020 FOREVER AN ACE Sports Editors: Phillip Gao ’22, Kyle Patlove ’20, and Spencer Rosenbaum ’22

A MAN OF HUMILITY

Tom McGovern, the athletic director during Kobe Bryant’s tenure, remembered Bryant as a humble, hardworking player. Though he did not boast about his success, Bryant’s work ethic and conduct on and of the court impacted the students around him, and even inspired many adults to improve themselves. Bryant was becoming a phenomenon in his later years of high school, yet he remained very grounded and humble. “One of the things that impressed me about Kobe as much as his athleticism was his poise and how ordinary he was,” said McGovern. A fond memory that he had of the athlete occured after a game in Bryant’s senior year. The team was ready to leave after a victory against Haverford High School, when a child requested a picture with the athlete. The team was very rushed to leave, but right before they left, “[Bryant] turned around and gave his shoes to the kid. And then ran of.” Bryant would share this kindness and familiarity with everyone he met. McGovern recalls that Bryant would frequently “…come into my ofce and sit down and talk. It wasn’t like I was making him come. He’d always ask ‘how are you doing? What’s going on?’” Kobe’s impact on Lower Merion did not weaken when he left for the NBA. In the years following Bryant’s high school career, he would frequently return to his alma mater to check in on the basketball team. McGovern always believed, “It just seemed like he had a real place in his heart for Lower Merion.” Once, a confict arose when only the boys’ basketball team was receiving sponsored attire from Nike and not the girls’, due to Bryant’s connections to LM. Kobe intervened and told McGovern that, “you know, we’ll send them to both [teams].” Though the legendary player is not with us anymore, McGovern believes that Bryant’s legacy will forever and linger in the halls of LM.

NO EXCUSES The enduring relationship between LM English teacher Jeanne Mastriano and her twice-former student Kobe Bryant has made various headlines throughout his venerated career. Their relationship blossomed in the classroom, on a foundation of trust and unparalleled respect. “It was really impressive that when he was trying out with [NBA] teams senior year he would come in with paperwork–anything he had to write, anything– he just arrived fresh of a plane and knew what the assignments were, had them done, and just kept up with everything,” Mastriano noted, praising his commitment to and prioritization of his academics. Coach Gregg Downer echoed the sentiment, recalling his “full accountability...in any walk of life. [There were] no excuses, no shortcuts. If he had an english assignment due, [he’d] get it done, do the best [he] could, and if it wasn’t good enough, [he’d] fx it.” He knew how to “pull the trigger,” Mastriano elaborated, supporting the assertion that Bryant was a no-nonsense individual and a model student-athlete for rising LMers to admire. His deference, however, came second to loyalty, as Bryant was consistent to credit Mastriano when accepting various accolades, and the two maintained a bond via thougtful phone calls, messages, and gifts. For Bryant, the ‘Mamba Mentality’ extended far beyond athletics.