CASHMERE, Wash. — On Jan. 11, NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna attended the Cashmere vs. Medical Lake girl's basketball game to watch Hailey Van Lith.
Van Lith, a player on Cashmere, had trained with Bryant's Mamba Academy over the summer, and is seen as one of the best girl's basketball players in the 2020 class.
Bryant met both teams, and spoke with Medical Lake head coach Kyle Lundberg.
Both Kobe and Gianna Bryant died in a helicopter crash that killed nine people on Sunday near Calabasas, California. They were on their way to a basketball tournament at the Mamba Academy.
Lundberg said meeting the former Lakers legend was unforgettable.
"It goes to show you what kind of person he was. With all of the fame and fortune that he had, that he took time out of his busy schedule to come up there to a little town," Lundberg said.
While the Bryants were there to watch the Cashmere star, Lundberg said Kobe still made sure to speak with the Medical Lake team.
"There was a certain spirit with him that just made him so down to earth, friendly and welcoming," Lundberg said.
He said his team has a quote for every practice, and last week, they used one of Bryant's about what it takes to win as a team.
Although they only met briefly, Lundberg said it felt like he had known Kobe for years. He also said he knew that meeting Kobe would have a big impact on his players.
"He really wanted to grow the girls basketball game and get more girls playing, to get more fans in to see it because these girls are working really hard," Lundberg said.
Lundberg said its upsetting to speak about the Bryants in the past tense, but he'll always cherish the fact that him and his players got to meet the legend.