Saw Kobe play the Pistons waaay back when (Rodney Stuckey years).
Used to respectfully hate him back when the Ben Wallace Pistons beat those superpowered Lakers and then grew to completely respect him afterward.
Even at the game I went to, he hit a shot to put it into OT. Me and my friends were like, "Of course, he does."
Pistons won, but I couldn't hate the guy. Dude's work ethic was way to admirable. He still had so much to give...including his daughter. First thing I thought after reading the news and digesting it was, "fukk...hope one of those other people wasn't his kid."