Watch: Throwback to when Gigi Bryant dominated older players with Kobe Bryant as her coach on the sideline
Three years ago today, Kobe and Gigi Bryant were part of a tragic helicopter crash that resulted in multiple deaths. To this day, the basketball community mourns the loss of her and the Hall of Famer.
Out of all of Kobe Bryant's daughters, Gigi Bryant appeared to be the one who could have followed in her father's footsteps. Before her unfortunate passing, she regularly worked on improving her game.
As expected, her father was one of her main coaches. Basketball brought the two of them closer together and gave them something to bond over.
Shocking nobody, Gigi Bryant shared Kobe's competitive fire on the basketball court. She never backed down from a challenge, and was ready to rise up to the occasion. There were even instances where she put on a show against older opponents with her dad sitting on the sidelines. At the time, she was playing for "Mamba Ballers," who were coached by the LA Lakers legend.
Before their deaths, Kobe talked about Gigi's dreams of progressing in the world of basketball. It was her goal to one day get to suit up for the University of Connecticut's women's team.
Gigi Bryant spent countless hours training with her father
For Gigi Bryant and her father, basketball was more than just a game. It was something they loved and wanted to perfect.
During his time with the LA Lakers, Kobe Bryant was seen as one of the hardest workers in the league. Throughout his 20-year career, he worked tirelessly to improve his game in any way he could. Because of this incredible dedication, he was able to win five championships and earn a spot in the Hall of Fame.
As Gigi began to take up basketball herself, he instilled that same kind of work ethic into her. He took every opportunity he could to try and teach her as much as he could about the game.
When the two weren't on the court together, they often popped up at random NBA games. Even then, Kobe tried to walk her through things to help her understand more. On one occasion, the broadcast caught the father-daughter duo talking through a game as it happened in real time.
With his playing days behind him, Kobe was able to fully dedicate himself to helping mold the next generation. Unfortunately, this precious quality of time with his daughter was drastically cut short.