Ball So Hard Mondays - Kobe Memorial Reunion

I can’t say I am a Laker but I can say that I am a fan of Kobe Byrant. Over the last 9 years every Monday a group of now some of my closests homies got together to ball. It was a pretty religious thing for us. It was something to look forward to every week to reset the brain or what most call #HoopTherapy. When I started playing with these guys 9 years ago I had never really played basketball seriously-other than an occasional outdoor pick up game in college but even then I just did it for the exercise and to hang out with my friends. Shit, I still can’t say I am that good but it was never about being good or becoming great, it was always about the vibes and the people. Just about everyone single person on my hoop therapy team is a Lakers fan, sprinkled in with a couple Warriors fans, and a Heat fan. Everyone was just ride or die for their teams.

Not sure when we actually dubbed these Monday night events “Ball So Hard Mondays” but thats what we called it. It was the name of our group chat (T-shirts are in the works) and it was our crew. Over the years there were lots of faces that came and went, friends of friends, lots courts running at once. It was basketball bliss once a week, and the video for this week was extra special.

It was the first Monday after Kobe had passed and I know we all where looking forward to getting together to play. Even the friends who hadn’t been out in months (including me) made a return for the night. I knew I had to document the night because it was such a special one for these guys. These guys taught me how to play the game, to understand the game, to love the game, and over the course of 9 years did the same for Xander. Xander went from sitting in the car seat to shooting around with us and helping keep score. As parent I can’t imagine losing a child and I will forever cherish the BSHMondays that Xander got to come to. His love for the sport started there, the same place mine did.

Going into the gym that night I never thought it would be my last too. A couple weeks ago news spread that the American Sports Center in Anaheim was closing due to covid-19. The ASC was also a quiet home for Kobe to shoot around in and it felt good knowing he had visted and practiced here. This news came as a big heart break for all of us because no one thought that our last time playing there was going to be our last time playing there. I do know we are all very grateful for the time, memories, and bonding we got to do there.

When most people dreaded Mondays because it was the start of the week, Mondays where always speacial to us. The bond and love basketball shares with its fans its truely amazing. A sport, that despite supporting different teams, friends came together to bond, decompress, sweat, hang out, and share that same deep love for the game. Basketball was a sport I grew up watching but never playing and now I have a new love for the game because of these guys. This one’s for you, your love for the sport, and your love for Kobe and Gigi.

I love you dudes!

STILL TAKING PRE-ORDERS IN THE THE SMILE SHOP