It wasn't just the basketball world that lost Kobe Bryant Sunday, it was the entire globe.

The globe continues to mourn the loss of an icon that played 20 seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five championships and leaving behind a legacy that will be nearly impossible for anyone to top. As an 18-year-old, Kobe Bryant went to LA and became a star.

The Minnesota Timberwolves nearly drafted Bryant back in 1996, but it wasn't meant to be. Bryant ended up with the Lakers and we all know the story from there. Kobe Bryant's impact goes well beyond Southern California, the NBA, and basketball in general. Bryant became an icon from his pursuit of greatness on and off the floor and the Mamba Mentality that he inspired into so many young athletes, young actors, writers and more.

Bryant was a fixture on a poster that covered walls in many bedrooms across the globe, and his inspiration was evident till the day he passed.

Yes, Bryant had negative moments in his life, and his legacy is complicated, but there is no denying the fact that he had a very big impact on people's lives whether it was in basketball, art, or anything that someone was trying to accomplish. That tenacity ran deep in Kobe Bryant, that is why his sudden loss, along with the 8 others on that helicopter, including his daughter, has shocked the world.

That is also why his impact can be seen at arenas around the country, including in Minneapolis at U.S Bank Stadium and Target Center. They honored Kobe Bryant the best way they can with photos of Bryant and his daughter, GiGi, covering the arena, or U.S Bank Stadium glowing in the Lakers' purple and gold along with photos of Bryant and GiGi, as we see from Jon Krawczynski and SKOR North, via Twitter.

Kobe Bryant, a legend gone too soon.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

More From KROC-AM