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It was January 26th a day that the world seemed to suddenly stop. This particular date will be remembered as the day the world lost not only a great basketball legend, but a philanthropist at his core. Just the night before, in Kobe’s hometown of Philadelphia, LeBron James passed Bryant on the all-time scoring list. Kobe’s last tweet, at 9:39 p.m., the night before he tragically passed, was paying respect to James’ accomplishment. Just hours later, people around the world mourned the loss of the global icon. The NBA postponed a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers happening at the Staples Center the night after Kobe’s death. That was the first time a game was postponed, not due to weather conditions, since the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013. Teams across the league showed their respect to Bryant by committing 8 and 24-second violations, the two numbers Kobe donned during his NBA career. Kobe Bryant’s untimely death did not just hurt professional athletes, but also students and staff at Urban Prep. During Community which is how we start each day at Urban Prep. On the first day back after the tragedy, Mr. Clark at our Englewood Campus delivered a tearful message to all of the students on how Kobe impacted him and his life. Students wore Kobe and Laker apparel to honor him and moments of silence were held. As time went on and more people sent condolences, the date, 2-24-20 was set to be the memorial for Kobe and GiGi Bryant inside of the Staples Center. Well known for his career in the NBA, he was also an example to all black men, showing that we can make it What’s UP in the world? A Tribute to NBA Basketball Legend Kobe Bryant By Justin Grant Freelance Writer, Englewood Campus

Cartoon by Malik Johnson, Bronzeville Campus and how we can help others after we make it. It showed me that I need to appreciate life so much more. Much more than a basketball player, he was a philanthropist, advocate for women’s basketball and above all else, he was as a father. Helping spread the word about the talent and abilities held by the women in the WNBA, and openly working with current NBA players after his retirement, he never turned down the opportunity to help another. FORUM What’s Next....

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