By Godwinna Koroma-Coker
February 24, 2020
Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna.
The legendary Kobe Bryant. Five-time NBA Champion, two-time time scoring champion, and twelve-time ALL-NBA. These are just a few honors that his hard work had earned.
But not only was Bryant a star in the eyes of basketball fans, he also was a star in the eyes of his five girls: Vanessa (his wife) and daughters Natalia, Bianka, Capri, and Gianna (aka "Mambacita"). For me, his most admirable quality was the pride he showed in being a #GirlDad. After Bryant and his beloved 13-year old daughter Gianna died, SportsCenter anchor Elle Duncan recalled Bryant’s pride in being the father of all daughters: “I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a Girl Dad.”
Being a one out of two girls, myself, this was such a striking thing to see. I'm sure many girls with only female siblings can relate. Having such a huge figure in a male-dominated profession so openly convey his pride in only having daughters was such an uplifting thing for girls and the father of girls alike.
After this clip was recalled, the hashtag #GirlDad increased in popularity and was seen trending all throughout the social media platforms Twitter and Instagram; this opened up conversation for the negative gender stereotypes that are rarely discussed. The hashtag GirlDad stems from the sexist attitudes that many not only fathers, but older generations like In-Laws that what type of child sparks a father’s pride. Whether it is realized or not, #GirlDad is denouncing the stereotype that fathers can only have pride in having sons and bucking down on the misogynistic beliefs that boys are more valuable than girls.
Bryant did not let these views influence his beliefs. In 2016, the Mamba Sports Academy was built. The Sports Academy focuses to "update the way men, women and youth approach human performance, by creating a multi-platform environment that activates, educates and provides an opportunity for humans to unlock their full potential.” .
It is well known that the late Gianna played on the Mamba Women’s Basketball team and known to be the future Mambacita, continuing in her father’s footsteps. He often spoke about Gigi’s abilities. Bryant told Extra, “[Gianna]’s pretty fierce. She loves playing, she loves shooting. She came to me last summer and asked if I would teach her the game a little bit, so she really just started playing, but she picked up things innately.”
There is no doubt that Bryant was influential on the court, but also his influence on other dads and females around the world. Kobe and Gianna will forever be remembered as the greatest and their legacy and memory will forever flow through the things they love most: family and basketball.
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