On January 26, 2020, the world came to a standstill. It’s a day that still feels unreal. One moment, the world was moving as usual. The next silence, disbelief, heartbreak. Kobe Bryant was gone. Not just a basketball legend. Not just the Black Mamba, the five-time champ, the guy who made everybody believe in impossible shots and relentless hustle. A father. A storyteller. A man who was beginning his next chapter. And Gianna, his 13-year-old daughter, had the same fire in her eyes and the same love for the game, was gone too. Along with seven others, a single, crushing moment cut their lives short.

Over four years later, the ache is still there. Tributes still pour in because the grieving hasn’t stopped yet. Just two weeks ago, fans and legends revisited the whole moment of heartbreak all over the world when Gigi’s birthday arrived, especially after the destruction of their giant mural. One such emotional reaction was on display recently. It was by a man who learned of his idol, Kobe Bryant’s, demise under the most difficult circumstances.

It was Javaris Crittenton. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with a weapon and aggravated assault with a firearm. As a consequence of this, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, released in 2023. He had gotten to know Kobe during his time with the Lakers franchise after being drafted in 2007. A 19-year-old kid from Georgia Tech who heard his name called 19th overall, headed to the Los Angeles Lakers. Purple and gold. Hollywood lights. And one unavoidable reality: he was about to share a locker room with *the* Kobe Bryant.

On No Chill Gil with Gilbert Arenas, he was asked, “How did Kobe’s death affect you?” And Javaris Crittenton promptly turned somber. “Man, that hit me hard,” he said, voice heavy with memory. “I was actually in the hole when I found out.” Locked in solitary, Crittenton first heard the news shouted as a joke through cell doors before a guard confirmed it. Kobe’s loss almost broke him. He reminisced about his rookie days with the Lakers, where Kobe treated him with respect and taught him like a true sportsman.

And even though he might have had a rocky beginning as the 19th overall draft pick with the Lakers, that never came in the way of him bonding with Kobe Bryant. He did look out for ways to shine more while maintaining a cordial relationship with the late legend. And the way he describes those days, it is enough to understand the wavelength they matched at.

Crittenton mulls over his initial days with Kobe Bryant in the Lakers

Javaris saw Kobe’s work ethic firsthand in Lakers practices. He was mesmerized by the intensity, the attention to detail. Kobe didn’t baby him, but he didn’t ignore him either. Those tough sessions and occasional advice showed Javaris what greatness required. Years later, he still carried those lessons about preparation and professionalism. Kobe’s impact wasn’t in grand gestures, but in showing how champions work.

On No Chill Gil, Javaris revealed his initial encounters with Kobe Bryant: “I had a situation with Kobe. Love him to death, man but when I came in, um, I didn’t speak to him. I walked past him like seven times and didn’t speak to him.” Just picture it: a rookie playing it cool, refusing to bow to the legend not out of disrespect, but to prove he belonged.

He later also said, “And um, me and Kobe used to go at it in practice, no exaggeration, elbows, cursing…” This tells us that Javaris wasn’t one to back down during his early years in the league. He further continued by sharing what he also regrets a bit, a note he would want to give to his younger self. “I was only 19 though, so if I could talk to my younger self, it’s like… show Kobe that you got heart, but don’t go too far. Like, it’s still Kobe, you know? Don’t do too much.” It’s only a fair thought to have, because it was Kobe Bryant after all.