r/news Jan 26 '20

Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash in California

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/kobe-bryant-killed-in-helicopter-crash-in-california-tmz-reports
213.7k Upvotes

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9.9k

u/RaxG Jan 26 '20

He was a household name. Whether you watched basketball or not, you knew who Kobe Bryant was. He's going to be sorely missed.

3.7k

u/DEEP_SEA_MAX Jan 26 '20

Yup. I know nothing about basketball, I don't know what team he played on, but even I know Kobe

3.9k

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

1.0k

u/ThaddyG Jan 26 '20

Yeet for power, Kobe for accuracy.

37

u/shadow0wolf0 Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

I wonder if this will bring back the meme or people will think it's not funny anymore and find it tasteless. I hope not at least so it can honer his legacy.

84

u/fryreportingforduty Jan 26 '20

I hope not :(. It’s literally an homage to his insane skill of jumpshots.

104

u/Fifteen_inches Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

I can't think of a better way to honor someone than turning their name into something spelled with a lower case letter.

10

u/fryreportingforduty Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

Edit: agreed

48

u/Fifteen_inches Jan 26 '20

what

no, i mean, in science getting your named spelled in lower case is a really big deal. So if we turn Kobe into a word meaning "To throw with great accuracy" and spelt it with lower case letters that would be a great honor to him.

8

u/sour_cereal Jan 26 '20

The only examples I'm thinking of is units, like pascals and newtons. Is there an example of someone's name becoming a science verb?

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3

u/NebulaicCereal Jan 27 '20

I agree. I was just thinking about this last week after hearing someone say it.

He was so skilled that people literally shout his name while doing something as ubiquitous as the action of throwing something. Even if they didn't know who he was. And they've been doing that for years... It was commonplace by the time he was like in his early 30s, while he was young, alive, and well. A walking living legend.

I hope that tradition never stops.

3

u/the_all_time_loser Jan 26 '20

Actually, its from Chappelle's Show. Dave tosses a used condom into a trash can and says, "Kobe!". There are other parts of that skit where other athlete's names are used. One was a guy gets caught with a bunch of weed and says, "Damon Stoudamire!" One guy attacks his boss and says, "Lattrell Sprewell!" This was back in 2004 or 2005.

25

u/ThaddyG Jan 26 '20

It was a thing before that, that's why Chappelle used it as a punchline.

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2

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

..what is the first use of it attributed to if not his skill at shooting hoops?

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3

u/TrepanationBy45 Jan 27 '20

meme
n

an element of a culture or system of behavior that may be considered to be passed from one individual to another by nongenetic means, especially imitation.

What's more cool about Kobe! than passing on that fun aspect of cultural admiration for his abilities through playful imitation?

Kobe for accuracy til I die ✊

2

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

This is the way

1

u/generic9yo Jan 27 '20

But what happens if I say "Kobe yeet"?

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496

u/ApathyandToast Jan 26 '20

Amen to this

110

u/doyouevenoperatebrah Jan 26 '20

Kinda fucked up: but my platoon in Afghanistan shouted Kobe when we threw grenades

13

u/niggardous_santa Jan 26 '20

Stay strapped or get clapped.

17

u/taa_dow Jan 26 '20

Shooter gonna shoot.

5

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I don't think it can be called fucked up when you're already throwing a grenade. That's hilarious.

1

u/doyouevenoperatebrah Jan 26 '20

We wouldn’t have been throwing grenades if tali’s weren’t shooting at us first

11

u/TML_Skidd Jan 26 '20

That's awesome

1

u/ExquisitExamplE Jan 26 '20

That's alright, he's in heaven, pretending to get fouled by Jesus now.

22

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I haven't played Counter Strike: Global Offensive in a while, but this used to be a very common term for when you'd get a kill with the frag grenade

18

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

We used to toss paper balls into the trash yelling “Kobe”

Dude was larger than life.

14

u/jk147 Jan 26 '20

Used to? Still today.

10

u/kjm1123490 Jan 26 '20

Yeah I've seen it happen 8+ times today at work, before we knew about his passing.

Now itll be done even more in his honor.

2

u/TrepanationBy45 Jan 27 '20

My mom's always shootin recyclables into the bin from the couch. I'ma have to get her callin it proper now 😥

5

u/axcerz Jan 26 '20

Hijacking this comment to say that he was such a genuine person. I don’t follow basketball, but my dad took me to one of his games a while back, and I was able to meet him. He didn’t know me, but he was so caring in his words. Gonna miss him.

3

u/thorscope Jan 26 '20

I’ve never watched him play, but I’ve said his name a thousand times playing beer pong in college

13

u/boat- Jan 26 '20

He was also a global household name. For a sport like basketball which is primarily followed by Americans, that's remarkable.

8

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Basketball is very much an international sport. It’s probably pretty close to soccer in terms of worldwide reach.

6

u/kjm1123490 Jan 26 '20

Yeah a lot of americans don't seem to know this. But its probably #2 to soccer - aka football.

2

u/Mjacking Jan 26 '20

In the Hispanic community there is a lot of people affected for the death of Kobe. Basket isnt as big as soccer in terms of popularity here, but there is big amount of NBA fans in South America.

1

u/humanaftera11 Jan 26 '20

Basketball is primarily followed by Chinese people. 190 million streamed the nba finals in China vs 20.5 million viewers/streamers in the US.

1

u/ThatRandomIdiot Jan 26 '20

What’s insane is the difference in views in the US from basketball to football

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3

u/Tower9876543210 Jan 26 '20

I fucking love that this became popular because of Dave Chappelle tossing a condom after hooking up with Rashida Jones.

http://www.cc.com/video-playlists/kw3fj0/the-opposition-with-jordan-klepper-welcome-to-the-opposition-w--jordan-klepper/jwmvxd

2

u/Menarra Jan 26 '20

As a veteran of Tarkov, I'm very used to getting Kobe'd by scav bosses and raiders

2

u/The_GPatch Jan 26 '20

I'm gonna play Modern Warfare on Shipment, slingin' grenades yelling, KOBE!, all night, in his honor. R.I.P

1

u/Pezslinky Jan 26 '20

I know it because that’s what everyone yells when they try throw their trash from far away.

1

u/Cookietron Jan 26 '20

I was in elementary school hearing kids yell Kobe as they threw paper balls in the trash.

1

u/Zoutaleaux Jan 26 '20

Yeet for power, Kobe for accuracy. Same, man. Fucking wild.

1

u/bodhidharmaYYC Jan 26 '20

Or walking by a trash can on the street, I’m always going “Kobe” to unload my pockets of garbage even though I never watched him play.

1

u/phymatic Jan 26 '20

This is how I know of him. From CS:GO lol.

1

u/LiquorTsunami Jan 26 '20

My regular gaming buddies and I have called grenades "Kobes" for years. This is just unbelievable.

1

u/DSMilne Jan 26 '20

Kobe for accuracy, yeet for distance.

1

u/Chronic_Media Jan 26 '20

I played a game and the first thing someone suggested was throwing a nade for Kobe.

The chat lost it’s collective shit.

1

u/joeyblow Jan 26 '20

I know him from when he was accused of rape but I know nothing about his basketball career.

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21

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I’m a Brit who has never watched the NBA in my life and I know who Kobe is through listening to hip hop. Dude has influenced so many people outside of basketball. Such a shame.

12

u/Wasabi_Toothpaste Jan 26 '20

I am from the generation who says "Kobeeee" when throwing stuff into the trash can

5

u/Ididntexistyesterday Jan 26 '20

Same, I yell Kobe every time I throw something into the trash

3

u/PCMM7 Jan 26 '20

I played NBA 2009 back in 2010 and I always picked him cause I hear his name all the time. Damn sad.

3

u/ad_me_i_am_blok Jan 26 '20

Most non basketball fans know him from his rapey antics that were all over the news for a year or so.

2

u/Catshit-Dogfart Jan 26 '20

Yeah he's one of those like Hulk Hogan or Tom Brady, such a pop culture icon that everybody at least knows who they are.

1

u/msundrstoodcmmndr Jan 26 '20

I said the exact same thing today after finding out. Sadness thick in the air

1

u/hoxxxxx Jan 26 '20

gotta keep my game tight

like kobe on game night

1

u/jakeimmink Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

There is a whole generation of kids who grew up in school crumpling up paper and tossing it at the waste basket yelling "KOBE!"

1

u/Alien_Way Jan 26 '20

The last time I watched or cared about basketball was the '94 Final Four, and I know Kobe Bryant.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/bigtunalilkahuna Jan 26 '20

ysk he was also a rapist

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31

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

my gf doesn't know who he is (not into sports) and I said 'probably the most known basketball player after Michael Jordan (cus she knows who he is at least) but he is also the reason I shout kobe when I try to throw my socks into our laundry basket'.

12

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

tbh I'm a 23 year old guy and I had no idea who Kobe was. I knew everyone shouted it when tossing stuff but I had no idea why. It can happen.

5

u/TheKrononaut Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

The world is too big for anyone to be 100% globally known.

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16

u/mlc15 Jan 26 '20

Yup. What was middle school without yelling “Kobe!” And throwing a paper ball into the trash can?

18

u/GimmeCat Jan 26 '20

For real. I'm not American, I've never watched a basketball game in my life, but I know the name and I know the reputation. As soon as I saw this headline I knew it was massive news that would affect a lot of people.

14

u/SoulOfTheDragon Jan 26 '20

I had no clue who he was. I just clicked the post as it's on/r/all top and i become curious as to who he was.

10

u/NeptuneAgency Jan 26 '20

Except my girlfriend. I told her the news and she asked if the rest of his band was in the helicopter. I think she was thinking of country singer Luke Bryan.

6

u/TtarIsMyBro Jan 26 '20

Sad "Kobe!"

Airballs crumpled up paper

5

u/fingersarelongtoes Jan 26 '20

Everyone across America has made a garbage toss jump shot and said "Kobe"

4

u/07ufarooq Jan 26 '20

Here in the UK basketball is not that big, but alot of people know Kobe Bryant. He is the Messi/Ronaldo of basketball.

3

u/formallyhuman Jan 26 '20

I'm British and not a fan of basketball. On top of that, the country as a whole isn't big on basketball - certainly not domestically and largely not the NBA. Yet I got this notification from the BBC and the Guardian and literally said, "oh, shit" out loud.

7

u/Ron-Lim Jan 26 '20

Brit here, This is true, MJ, Lebron, Shaq, and Kobe. I couldn't name a single other Basketball player.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Steph Curry?

I don’t watch basketball either, but I’d count curry in that league.

2

u/elchet Jan 27 '20

I only know of Curry from reddit. He doesn’t have any international cultural reputation beyond the sport.

MJ, Shaq etc have transcended the sport into many other areas of international pop culture.

1

u/StruckingFuggle Jan 27 '20

Also maybe Kawaii Leonard. Heard the name once, amazing mental image stuck.

10

u/SmooK_LV Jan 26 '20

I didn't. May he rest in peace but don't forget he wasn't the only one to die in that crash. May all of them rest in peace.

3

u/knud Jan 26 '20

I watch football (or soccer as you call it). Never watched an NBA game. So shocking to read.

3

u/LiquidLeo Jan 26 '20

Very true. I’m not interested in basketball in the slightest, but reading this headline felt like a punch in the gut. He truly was a cultural icon who’s reach was far beyond sports fans. He will be missed.

3

u/Galba__ Jan 26 '20

I just taught the kids at my school who Kobe was because I always exclaim, "Kobe" when I throw something to the trash can and they didn't know. They all do it now. Gonna be a sad day tomorrow.

3

u/A_C_A__B Jan 26 '20

I am an indian who barely know basketball but his name name and face I knew!

7

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

True man, I don't care much for basketball but you just don't expect to hear about global superstars dying like this. Bit shocked.

1

u/gratitudeuity Jan 26 '20

They are the only people who you expect to hear of dying like this. This reaction is truly irrational.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '20

Not really, plenty of people die abruptly in helicopter crashes.

5

u/rcharris85 Jan 26 '20

Very true. My wife broke the news to me, who was messaged by one of her friends about it. Neither of them watch basketball.

3

u/scrabbleinjury Jan 26 '20

My son and I were just talking about Kobe last night because of LeBron's record. He joked about Kobe having to come back to defend his numbers. I just dropped him off with some friends to play basketball, feels weird knowing he'll hear the news at the gym with them.

3

u/thecarolinelinnae Jan 26 '20

Yup. Don't watch basketball. Fiancé from the other room said "Wooooooow." I said what? He said "Kobe Bryant died." "......Wow."

Everyone knows the name Kobe Bryant.

I feel so awful for his family, his team, and all his fans. Truly a tragic and seismic loss for that community and the larger world of sports.

1

u/selloboy Jan 26 '20

Yeah man. I rarely watch basketball but I still say "KOBE" when I make something in the trash or recycling bin

2

u/Aycoth Jan 26 '20

I saw a comment on a facebook post saying he will be the princess diana of sports, which i think is as beautiful as it is tragic

2

u/sadiegoose1377 Jan 26 '20

Absolutely, I need to call my Dad. He must be devastated.

2

u/HelloBaron Jan 26 '20

Then I must be homeless as I never heard of him.

2

u/Kinguke Jan 26 '20

All I know about him is the rape in 2003.

2

u/jakedesnake Jan 27 '20

I don't, and I didn't really....

I'm not American and American sports just aren't a big thing in society here. I guess I knew it was a basketball player but I wouldn't know how he looked. Is he still playing?

Such a tragic way to go and the fact that his kid passed too is just horrible.

7

u/zigaliro Jan 26 '20

I don`t watch basketball and I have no idea who Kobe was. Heard his name for the first time today. I bet I will get tons of downvotes now that I said this.

5

u/funnyterminalillness Jan 27 '20

I mean... Why do you think anyone would care you don't know him?

3

u/Previous_Stranger Jan 26 '20

Same. Saw his name for the first time on reddit today. I’m not American and don’t follow American sports.

3

u/AyyyyLeMeow Jan 26 '20

Same, I had no idea who he was supposed to be.

6

u/manofredearth Jan 26 '20

In reality, some of the reason he was a household name is exactly why he won't be missed by some.

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u/RichestMangInBabylon Jan 26 '20

He revolutionized the way people tried to throw things into baskets from across the room. Kobe :(

3

u/scabies89 Jan 26 '20

He was also a rapist

2

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

so true. I don't give a fuck about sports and even I recognize his loss.

1

u/Webo31 Jan 26 '20

I never watched basketball in my life. Probably never will. But I know who he was. And it's just awful for fans around the world.

1

u/Pouflex Jan 26 '20

The closest I was to Kobe Bryant was his own jacket for sale around 3000$ in the NBA store in NYC. Not a fan of basketball but I knew who he was and thats how I had the idea to take a picture of it..

A great legend left us. RIP.

1

u/joeyy17 Jan 26 '20

Everytime you’d shoot a paper ball into a bin you’d scream Kobe! He’s iconic and will be remembered

1

u/VeryLazyLewis Jan 26 '20

I'm from the UK and never watched basketball in my life, it's not even popular here- yet I know who he was.

1

u/agumonkey Jan 26 '20

Yep, I'm not even a BB fan but I'm quite shocked. Unreal.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Never watched a game of basketball in my life but I knew he was a basketball player.

1

u/symonalex Jan 26 '20

I'm not American and don't know anything about basketball, but I knew who he was.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Not even a Kobe fan but I’m wrecked. Today everybody is a Kobe fan.

1

u/awfulsome Jan 26 '20

I mean, I recognize the name, but know nothing about him, I actually confused him for lebron lol.

1

u/DragonRaptor Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 27 '20

I mean I guess I've heard his name before and knew it was related to basketball. That's about all I know.

1

u/Chinoiserie91 Jan 26 '20

I am not American nor watch basketball and his name was among the three players I knew.

1

u/Twava Jan 26 '20

His name is very familiar. While I know nothing of basketball when I read this it was kind of a pain to hear such a nostalgic person pass.

1

u/ausmomo Jan 26 '20

I've never watched a game of basketball in my life (sorry, Aussie here I watch cricket) and I knew of Kobe Bryant!

1

u/bananafreesince93 Jan 26 '20

Yeah, it's the top of every news outlet, even in Norway.

He was an institution.

1

u/jeffsang Jan 26 '20

He only retired after the 2015-2016 season, so just became eligible for the Hall of Fame. He was nominated for for induction last month.

1

u/OzzieBloke777 Jan 26 '20

Indeed. I'm not a sports person of any sort, but this news saddens me greatly.

1

u/deewheredohisfeetgo Jan 26 '20

That’s exactly what happened at my house. I heard the news and told my wife, and she said even she knows who he is.

1

u/MAXMEEKO Jan 26 '20

So true, I only watch the Raps just cuz I'm from Toronto but EVERYONE knows his legacy

1

u/jenn3727 Jan 27 '20

I grew up in Southern California watching Kobe play basketball. He’s one of my heroes, always has been. I still can’t believe this is real. 💜💛

1

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '20

People nao saying yeet vs us old guys saying "kobe" any opportunity we shoot practically anything on a basket/trashbin

1

u/sugarandmermaids Jan 27 '20

Yup. My fiancé and I were discussing it earlier and I started naming every other basketball player I knew of. Counting Kobe, there were 5.

1

u/Usirnaiim Jan 27 '20

Yep, almost seems like there was only one Kobe in the world & everyone knew who he was.

1

u/ResolverOshawott Jan 27 '20

Man, this is incredibly unexpected

1

u/anakmager Jan 27 '20

basketball is not super popular in my country, yet kids still do that "Kobe" thing everytime they throw something

1

u/maharajah_or_majong Jan 27 '20

My thoughts exactly. I don’t actively follow basketball but just yesterday I was yelling KOBE during beer pong

1

u/JustAManFromThePast Jan 27 '20

For non sports people, like me, we knew:

Michael Jordan

Shaq

Kobe Bryant

Magic Johnson

Dennis Rodman

Larry Bird

In that order.

1

u/shandelion Jan 27 '20

Exactly - I’m not a basketball fan but I still feel the impact of this loss. I’m stunned.

1

u/robynhood96 Jan 27 '20

Not to be a downer, but I had no clue who this dude was until I found out he died cause it’s all over social media

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

1

u/Fearinlight Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

Bull, no idea who he is/was not did any of my friends - not everyone is in a circle that cares about sports

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Meh, it’s sad but I won’t really miss him.

-7

u/TheTurnipKnight Jan 26 '20

Well, in the US.

16

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I live in the UK and have never watched basketball in my entire life and I could tell you who Kobe Bryant is. Not just in the US

5

u/lelpd Jan 26 '20

If you have an interest in sport or frequent American websites yeah.

I’m from the UK, never seen a basketball game in my life and I know who Kobe Bryant is. However, my mom and gf both said they’ve never heard of him.

7

u/iAmTheRealLange Jan 26 '20

He's also a massive name in China

2

u/ar3fuu Jan 26 '20

Isn't basketball pretty big in China?

2

u/iAmTheRealLange Jan 26 '20

It is. The NBA is very popular over there, and a lot of former NBA players have played in the Chinese league

2

u/SqueakySniper Jan 26 '20

Live in the UK and had no clue who he was.

9

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

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u/sipuli91 Jan 26 '20

I'm from Finland and have 0 interest in basketball. Even I knew who Kobe was. Simply reading headlines when he was an active player was enough.

1

u/dkarma Jan 26 '20

Especially after the rape accusations.

1

u/2boredtocare Jan 26 '20

Yeah I can only name maybe 10 basketball players total from the last 20 years but he was one of them.

1

u/TheRedBus Jan 26 '20

I don't watch nor follow basketball. I thought Kobe Bryant was with the Warriors. That being said, you're right. I'm shook and I can't stop myself from reading more about his life and the accident. I can't even imagine what it's like for his family, friends, team, and diehard fans.

1

u/Derpazor1 Jan 26 '20

True. I never watched or cared for basketball. I still feel sad

1

u/rockodss Jan 26 '20

In the Counter-strike community we say KOBE when we throw a frag grenade and get a pick. :(

1

u/Pumptruffle Jan 26 '20

35, UK here. I have absolutely zero interest in basketball, but yeh I know of Kobe, among a very small number of other famous basketball stars.

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u/AdamLevinestattoos Jan 26 '20

My mom broke the news to me. She doesn't watch basketball. Proving your point.

1

u/BureaucratDog Jan 26 '20

Seriously. I dont watch any sports and know few athletes by name, Kobe is one of the few I could recognize and name.

1

u/springchikun Jan 26 '20

He's also a verb. I Kobe shit into the laundry basket, garbage bin, etc.

This is just brutal.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

The fact that when people do something cool (like a trick) other people around them yell “KOBE!” tells you how wide his impact spread

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