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Derek Jeter Remembers Kobe Bryant as Family Man Who 'Just Loved Being a Dad'

Derek Jeter is honoring his friend and fellow athlete Kobe Bryant.

In an emotional piece written for the Players’ Tribune on Sunday, the soon-to-be Baseball Hall of Fame member opened up about his friendship with Bryant, emphasizing that the late basketball star was a family man first and foremost.

“All I ever needed to know about Kobe Bryant was this: that throughout our friendship, the most meaningful conversations we had — they were always about family,” Jeter, 45, began the essay.

He added: “When I think of Kobe, I really just end up thinking about those special few personal conversations that we were lucky enough to share together, each time one of us had a new baby daughter.”

On Sunday morning, Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash that also killed seven other people. Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa, 37, and their other daughters Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months.

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Kobe Bryant and Derek Jeter | Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images; Shareif Ziyadat/WireImage
Kobe Bryant and Derek Jeter | Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images; Shareif Ziyadat/WireImage

Jeter — who shares two daughters, Story Grey, 11 months, and Bella Raine, 2, with wife Hannah, 29 — said despite Bryant’s athletic achievements and talents, he will always keep in mind his caring, familial side.

“Here was this guy who was beyond gifted as an athlete, who was obsessed with being a champion, who was known as an absolute assassin with a ball in his hands,” wrote Jeter, “And in the moments I got to spend with him? He didn’t really talk about any of that.”

He added: “He cared much more about being a husband to Vanessa and a dad to his girls. He loved his family — he was his family. That’s what was important. And that’s the Kobe I’ll remember.”

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Kobe Bryant with family, December 2017 | Allen Berezovsky/Getty
Kobe Bryant with family, December 2017 | Allen Berezovsky/Getty

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Sharing his condolences with the families affected by the fatal helicopter crash, Jeter reflected on the fallout of such events.

“Tragedies like this have a cruel way of reminding us of what’s important in life: spending time with our loved ones, and being there for them no matter what,” wrote Jeter. “Which makes today’s events feel especially cruel — because no one needed less reminding than Kobe.”

Jeter — who joins other sports stars like LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan to speak out about Bryant’s death — went on to say that Bryant “just loved being a dad,” a fact that he believes should remain an essential part of the NBA star’s legacy.

“Rest in peace to Kobe Bryant — who knew that his life was only as important as the love he had for the people in it. Who knew that he was born to play basketball,” Jeter concluded. “But it was family over everything.”