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Kobe Bryant died being a proud 'girl dad': Elle Duncan's emotional tribute goes viral

Elle Duncan shared an emotional anecdote about NBA legend Kobe Bryant being 'a proud girl dad'

By Web Desk
January 29, 2020

Elle Duncan shared an emotional anecdote about NBA legend Kobe Bryant being 'a proud girl dad' 

With tributes pouring in from around the world for the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant, one particular that stood out was of ESPN’s Elle Duncan.

The sports commentator’s emotional and touching tribute caught the attention as the world mourns the loss of the basketball ace.

During SportsCenter a day after the helicopter crash, Duncan shared an anecdote from the time she met him while she was eight months pregnant.

“I met Kobe one time, backstage at an event for ESPN in New York. And I saw him, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh. That’s Kobe. I gotta get a picture for the ‘Gram. … I didn’t get it for a few minutes, because, as I approached him, he immediately commented on my rather large eight-month pregnant belly. ‘How are you? How close are you? What are you having?’ ‘A girl,’ I said, and he then high-fived me. ‘Girls are the best.’ ,” she had said.

“I asked him advice on raising girls as he quite famously had three at the time. He said, ‘just be grateful that you’ve been given that gift because girls are amazing,” she continued.

“His third daughter, Bianka, was about a year-and-a-half old at the time, so I asked if he wanted more children. He said that his wife, Vanessa [Bryant] really wanted to try again for a boy, but was sort of jokingly concerned that it would be another girl,” she added.

She went on further saying that when she asked him what his reaction would be to a fourth daughter as well, “without hesitation” the NBA champ said: “I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.”

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I met Kobe Bryant one time.. we were doing ESPN upfronts together in NYC. He came over and started talking to me about my impending baby (as you can see I was 13 months pregnant). I asked if he had advice on raising girls— he said “Just be grateful you’ve been given that gift, girls are amazing.” He bragged for a few minutes about what his 3 daughters were doing and how tough they were. He commented his wife Vanessa wanted to try for a boy but was jokingly concerned it would be another girl.. I said “How would you feel about that?” WITHOUT hesitation he said “I WOULD HAVE 5 MORE GIRLS IF I COULD.. I’m a girl dad I love the challenge of raising women.” Little did I know he would have that 4th girl. Or that I would sit backstage for half an hour chatting up the GOAT about his new retired life and what was ahead. I left so impressed with his ability to exist normally in a space where he was being fawned and followed. How he took time for this Real pregnant women he didn’t know to have a real convo with a line of people waiting for a moment just to reassure her. I’m glad to have had that brief time with him. I’m so sorry that 4th girl won’t know her dad.

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She further recalled him singing praises for his middle daughter Gianna, who passed away with him during the helicopter crash.

“When it came to sports, he said that his oldest daughter was an accomplished volleyball player, and that the youngest was a toddler so TBD.”

She continued while being visibly shaken and losing control of her emotions: “But that middle one, he said that middle one was ‘a monster, she’s a beast. She’s better than I was at her age. She’s got it.’ That middle one, of course, was Gigi.”

“When I reflect on the tragedy and the half-an-hour I spent with Kobe Bryant two years ago, I suppose the only small source of comfort for me is knowing he died doing what he loved the most. Being a dad. Being a girl dad,” she said concluding her emotional monologue.