I wasn't born in America. I didn't know a single thing about Lakers Basketball as a kid growing up in Korea. It was all Jordan and that's all I knew about the sport.

When I first moved to the States, I moved to Utah and was a Jazz fan for 2 years but it never stuck as our family made the move to Orange County.

That whole decade of 2000's with Kobe being in the prime of his career with 3 championships with Shaq was the highlight of my teenage years.

I took on his mentality of me against the world as one of the few Asian kids in my neighborhood and felt like I always needed to prove something.

Kobe helped me in many ways to have an easier time transitioning into the American lifestyle but as I got older, I learned about the history of this great franchise and the rivalry we had with the Celtics.

Black Mamba helped me to understand a huge part of not only American culture but LOS ANGELES CULTURE.

I can honestly say that you will never see me wear another team's jersey because Kobe Bryant is not only my favorite basketball player of all time but the Lakers are and will be my favorite L.A. Sports team of all time.

I still can't stop crying. RIP Black Mamba.