Basketball legend Kobe Bryant had visited the country numerous times, and Filipinos showered him with love and admiration.
His untimely death has sent shockwaves of sadness among his Filipino fans, deeply mourning the Los Angeles Lakers superstar who was with her thirteen-year-old daughter in a helicopter crash.
The basketball legend is one of the idols of aspiring athletes as well as professional basketball players along with Michael Jordan and Lebron James in this hoop-loving nation.
“I love Manila. This is one of my most favorite cities in the world,” he said during his visit to Manila in 2011.
The affection and support that Filipinos have for the Black Mamba are evident as many Pinoy fans patronized his games down to merchandises he launched.
His charm, personality, and relatability along with his remarkable ‘mamba mentality’ carved his name not only in the basketball world but also in the hearts of Filipinos.
Filipinos loved Black Mamba so much that many of them named their children after the icon including Pinoy basketball star Benjie Paras.
He was well received in the country during his first visit in 1998 and even had a photo with then-President Joseph Estrada.
But, arguably one thing that really captured the hearts of Filipinos is his friendliness and amiability which is obvious in this video:
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