I’ve never been a Kobe fan.

I’ve never been much of a fan of the NBA since Michael Jordan retired (the second time).

I was sitting at a local Mexican restaurant about to devour a quesadilla when I got the news about Kobe Bryant.

In utter disbelief, I desperately scoured the internet, hoping to find this was another sick and twisted hoax.

It was not.

One of the greatest to ever play the game had perished, along with eight other souls, one of which being his 13 year old daughter Gianna.

Watching the fallout from the crash that claimed the lives of Bryant and the eight others on their way to a basketball practice has just been utterly heartbreaking.

I’ve never been a Bryant fan, but the one thing that was constantly reported about him was his determination and will to win a basketball game.

Rarely has there been a force with such devotion to the game.

It’s no coincidence he was among the all-time leading scorers, a five-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and an 18-time all star.

Think about that.

Throughout his 20 year career, he had just two that weren’t worthy of the all-star status.

Bryant retired in 2016 and it felt like the end of an era for sure, but the finality of Sunday’s tragic events have shaken the sports world to its core.

Like any human being, Bryant had a past and in the summer of 2003, he became the subject of a sexual assault investigation which was ultimately settled out of court.

That incident will never be the core of his legacy.

No, but the immense talent on the court and the way he played the game—a way few ever have.

As determined as he was to be the best on the court, Bryant was even more determined to become a better father.

As a father to four daughters, Bryant often took his helicopter throughout Los Angeles for the sheer reason of being able to spend more time with his daughters.

The man was the epitome of what a father should be.

The tragedy of losing 13 year old Gianna along with seven other individuals should never be overlooked.

I remember trying to watch segments of the Pro Bowl on Sunday and even ESPN commentators Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland had trouble maintaining their composure for the broadcast.

Reading the celebrity reactions began to shake me at my core.

Life can change on an instant and the loss of Bryant on Sunday is the painful evidence of that.

A 41-year-old father of four, just going to take his daughter to a basketball practice, to be her support, to be her coach, gone in an instant.

The life and legacy of Kobe Bryant and his intensity and devotion to becoming the best he could in every aspect of his life is something every sports fan and non-sports fan should try to emulate.

Like I said, I’ve never been a Kobe fan.

But after seeing just how he managed his life and was the role model for so many, I am now.

— Chris Siers is sports editor of the Times-Gazette. Email him at sports@t-g.com.