Dear Kobe

Dear Kobe,

I wasn't old enough to see you get drafted but I'm old enough to be influenced by the way you played

I didn't get to see you in your rookie season but I got to watch how the black Mamba slayed

I got to see the game winners, 81, the posters, the fade

You went from a regular high school kid to an international phenomenon

The legend of Kobe Bryant is a story that will be told forever. It will live on and on and on

You've inspired, motivated, and touched countless people from all different walks of life

From how to approach a game to how to become a better leader and how to be a better person for your children and wife

You taught us to do what we love and love what we do. To give everything you got and then some more

And that leaving one room just leads to another open door

You see, when I was in high school, I used to wake up at 5 in the morning and head to the gym because that's what you said to do

I spent hours of my day working on my shot, my dunk, my game, because of you

I've worked through pain because that's how you taught me to play

I put the Mamba mentality into everything I do because I want to be as successful as Kobe Bryant one day...

Kobe you did a lot for LA, you did a lot for the game, you did a lot for your family, you did a lot for myself and millions of others like me

You've impacted multiple generations. Had everyone embracing your mentality. You had everyone wishing that they could, if only for a day, be Kobe

You once said "the most important thing if to try and inspire people so they can be great in whatever they want to do"

You've done exactly that Kobe and for that, all we can say is “Thank you”

-Conscience

Tribute: In my eyes, Kobe Bryant was the best basketball player of my generation. His drive and determination was something that has continued to inspire me both on and off of a basketball court. May his legacy continue to not only live on, but to also continue to inspire people for years to come.