The Poetry Collection of Kobe Bryant

As a legendary basketball player, Kobe Bryant was not only known for his skills on the court but also for his creative talents off the court. He had a passion for poetry and often expressed his thoughts and emotions through heartfelt verses. Here are some of the poems written by Kobe Bryant:

Dear Basketball,

From the moment

I started rolling my dad’s tube socks

And shooting imaginary

Gamewinning shots

In the Great Western Forum

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all —

From my mind & body

To my spirit & soul.

As a sixyearold boy

Deeply in love with you

I never saw the end of the tunnel.

I only saw myself

Running out of one.

And so I ran.

I ran up and down every court

After every loose ball for you.

You asked for my hustle

I gave you my heart

Because it came with so much more.

I played through the sweat and hurt

Not because challenge called me

But because YOU called me.

I did everything for YOU

Because that’s what you do

When someone makes you feel as

Alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave a sixyearold boy his Laker dream

And I’ll always love you for it.

But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.

This season is all I have left to give.

My heart can take the pounding

My mind can handle the grind

But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.

And that’s OK.

I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now

So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what I do next

I’ll always be that kid

With the rolled up socks

Garbage can in the corner

:05 seconds on the clock

Ball in my hands.

5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1

Love you always,

Kobe

Strength of a warrior, my heart becoming colder

A fight to the finish, the crown getting closer

Long I have waited, decisions I've pondered

The true battle silent, a storm approaching yonder

My focus intense, my loyalty unwavering

From the dawn of each day to the dusk of this evening

Fear not the next chapter, embrace it with grace

For death is the only thing that can truly erase

The warrior within me, the fighter I've found

Grounded by discipline, my thoughts tightly wound

I'll take what you give me and treasure it so

The scars and the struggles, the highs and the lows

For life is a journey, a path winding long

Each step getting closer, each trial making me strong

The armor of God is my shield in this war

And on the battlefield of life, I'll fight evermore

Silence.

That’s all I hear,

But inside of those bars,

There is metal and fuel to ignite a fire.

Skill over will,

Yes I know about skill

When they told you to build your rib cage out of brick

And come back when it’s done.

I stitched myself back together after losses

And turned my body into a rusty steel cage

Skilled at creating the impossible.

I made it simpler.

More complex moves.

Less get there quick schemes.

Because I realized I had to respect the process to get the end result.

I reached my peak where the air gets thin

And my missed shots are still in.

And I accept that they will be there.

But I still can’t hear the silence

With darkness there.

I am my own silence.

That is the motto and me.

This were just a few examples of the poetic talent of Kobe Bryant. His words continue to inspire many even after his passing. May his legacy live on through his poetry and his actions both on and off the court.