Women's basketball assistant, former Los Angeles Sparks player Murriel Page reflects on Kobe Bryant's legacy
Joe "Jellybean" Bryant was the head coach for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from 2005-2006 and then again in 2011. During the 2006 season, his roster featured Murriel Page, who now roams the sidelines as an assistant coach at Central Michigan.
Page played the final three seasons of her career in Los Angeles.
Bryant made a name for himself in the basketball realm, playing eight NBA seasons and putting in another nine years overseas. However, Jellybean Bryant is more known for simply being "Kobe's dad."
Kobe Bryant played 20 NBA seasons, all with the Los Angeles Lakers. He finished his career at No. 3 on the all-time scoring list.
Bryant died in a helicopter crash Jan. 26 in Calabasas, California. The crash killed him along with eight others, including his 13-year old daughter Gianna.
Though Page did not have a personal relationship with Bryant during her time in LA, she was aware of his presence and admired his relentless work ethic.
"Every time he stepped into the gym, he gave 110 percent," Page said. "If there was something he felt he couldn't do, he worked until he almost perfected it."
Page recalls numerous occasions where she would arrive to the Los Angeles practice facility to find Bryant an hour into a strenuous work out. Once the Sparks cleared out after their practice, Bryant would return to continue his work out. During the WNBA season, Bryant was a spectator at numerous Sparks games. Page considered it a privilege to play in front of the NBA legend.
In addition to playing in front of Kobe, Page added that the two would exchange small talk in passing while in the practice facility. Though the two weren't close, Page added that she was motivated by his presence in the facility.
"Being in the facility and knowing you're in the place where one of the greatest of all time is, it motivates you as a player and as a person," Page said. "Not only was he a great basketball player, he's a great human."
Bryant's influence goes far beyond his time on the court. Since retiring following the 2016 season, Bryant began to serve as an ambassador for both men's and women's basketball. He often attended WNBA and NCAA women's basketball games, including taking trips to watch top teams Oregon and Connecticut with his daughter Gianna.
He became a leader in promoting the women's game, something Page appreciates as both a former player and a coach.
"(Seeing) the relationship with his daughter, just seeing how big of an ambassador he had become for women’s basketball, which was really huge," Page said. "Seeing him going out and seeing him in stadiums, seeing him not just watching the professionals but seeing him in college arenas and knowing the players by name. (Him) having relationships with players, that was just huge. Having him in the arena and his respect for women’s basketball has helped grow the attention of more fans."
Page, who played collegiately at Florida and is currently the program's leading scorer, noted that an endorsement of women's basketball from "one of the greatest players to have ever played basketball" is valuable to promoting the women's side of the basketball spectrum.
"When you have one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball to give respect not only his colleagues who he played against every night but to the women’s game, that speaks volumes," she said.
Bryant won five NBA championships, played in 18 All-Star Games and scored over 33,000 points. However, his value to basketball goes far beyond his exploits in games in front of sold out crowds.
Just ask Page.
