LOS ANGELES — DeMar DeRozan always feels the presence of Kobe Bryant when he plays basketball.
Every game serves as a reminder of Bryant's influence on the NBA and on DeRozan. Being in Los Angeles around the time of Bryant's passing keeps the star's memory at the forefront of DeRozan's mind this week.
Friday marked the four-year anniversary of Bryant's passing in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif., a loss that greatly impacted the league in 2020. Following a loss to the Lakers on Thursday, DeRozan reflected on what Bryant meant to him as a player and individual.
“From the time he entered the league to his final game, everything about him motivated me to pursue a career in basketball,” DeRozan explained. “He was my favorite player while I was growing up; he was a mentor and someone I admired and sought advice from. For me, Kobe was everything.”
Growing up in Los Angeles during the 1990s, it was impossible to avoid the influence of the Lakers and of Bryant. DeRozan looked up to Bryant during his time as a young player at Compton High School. As a teenager, he participated in Bryant's camps and received a pair of the star's shoes during his senior year of high school.
When DeRozan joined the league in 2009 at the age of 20, his relationship with Bryant, who was 31 at the time, evolved from idolization to mentorship. Bryant imparted his strong work ethic to DeRozan during offseason training sessions, laying the groundwork for the rigorous workouts that DeRozan now puts young Bulls players through in Los Angeles every summer. They spent seven years competing as opponents before Bryant retired in 2016.
To this day, DeRozan exclusively wears Bryant's line of shoes during games — a small homage to the impact of his mentor on his career.
Players, coaches, and fans across the NBA and WNBA shared memories of Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and the other victims of the helicopter crash on Friday.
()
