Kobe Bryant: 8 Off-Court Moments Of Greatness

It was significant to Kobe that he use his influence and standing to both promote and develop women's sports, increasing the profile and bridging the pay gap. Stating recently that upon retirement he found himself relishing the prospect of having a pivotal role in enabling the "more fun" and "more grounded to the game" style of basketball played in the WNBA, Kobe outlined his desire to promote the league and to develop pathways for young girls to progress into the professional ranks.

A mindset apparent from his early time with the Olympic team, Bryant relentlessly made a point of bringing attention to the women's game during interviews and media days. He also took it upon himself to attend as many LA Sparks game as he possibly could, often referring to league legends such as Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird as "transcendent talents".

It was passion for the growth of the game that led him capitalising on his reach, consistently attending and enhancing youth programmes - girls in particular - in California. As part of his Mamba Academy, he enabled his daughter's AAU team to train there, cultivating new leagues and avenues for young girls to train and play in. At this stage the "Mamba Cup" has been implemented as a basketball tournament which sees a host of girls teams play out a competition at the facility.

Kobe was a driving force behind the growth of women's basketball, and his legacy will continue to engage new talent to the sport.