Copyright The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. But he had only scratched the surface. UConn coach Geno Auriemma believes that Bryant's biggest contributions to women's basketball were in front of him before the NBA great and his daughter were killed in a helicopter crash Sunday. The next generation of kids who knew his daughter and played with Gigi. He gets involved at a whole another level. He was just getting started. Bryant spent time coaching Gianna's youth team and Loyd was so impressed with what he had done with them.
Kobe wanted to change that," said Loyd. Loyd remembered first meeting Bryant when she was in high school. She grew up in Chicago and went to one of his Lakers games. She started following him on Twitter and messaged him. He messaged back and answered her questions. It was my senior year of high school," she said. They had a game the same day as the ceremony. We sat there and talked for the whole halftime.
Bryant was at the women's Final Four in Columbus, Ohio in and saw the thrilling game where Arike Ogunbowale hit a shot to beat UConn and eventually lift Notre Dame to the national championship. Sue Bird got to know Bryant at the and Olympics. She is well aware there are people who didn't believe Bryant should have been involved with the women's game, a sentiment that dates back to charges in of him with attacking a year-old employee at a Colorado resort.
Bryant had said the two had consensual sex, and the charge was eventually dropped when the woman declined to testify in a trial. The woman later filed a civil suit against Bryant that was settled out of court.
The thing with Kobe, I think, is that he truly respected the women's game. That was really special, but he respected our game before that. I know he's had a positive impact on them. It's the world we live in right now, it's difficult.
