Post-retirement, Kobe Bryant, dedicated much of his time to advocacy for women’s sports. Nancy Liberman, one of the very first players of Phoenix Mercury, was among the many on the receiving end on numerous occasions. But one instance of the Lakers‘ icon’s staunch stand, came during, what would be the Black Mamba’s final days.

Two Days before the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others, a series of text messages were exchanged between Bryant and his close friend Nancy Lieberman. Engaged in a passionate conversation about supporting women’s sports, Kobe’s words offer a close look into his thoughts and plans shortly before the fateful day.

On 24January 2020, Kobe Bryant was engaged in a conversation with his friend Nancy Lieberman. On the Mark Jackson show, the WNBA legend recalled the instance, beginning with the disagreement she had with some men about a statement Bryant made to the media. Kobe’s reply was immediate. He asked, “When do you want to talk about it?” and when Lieberman asked for his availability, Kobe responded, “Now.”

In an hour-long exchange, Bryant expressed his frustration about misconceptions regarding women’s capabilities in sports. “These Joe Warriors think they can dominate women,” were a few words Liberman could recall. The conversation this instance led to further, became Liberman’s last exchange with Kobe.

Liberman, who was the 1980 draft first pick, had been a coach for a little longer than she had been a player. Starting in 1998, the former Phoenix Mercury star went on to coach not just the WNBA, but the NBA G League and then the Sacramento Kings as an assistant coach in 2015. Kobe, who was keen in providing the best of training to Gigi and her team, wanted Liberman to take on the role.

So the Lakers legend continued talks with the 66-year-old about the plan they had been discussing for two years but had yet to execute due to their busy schedules. “He texted me, he goes, are we doing this?” I said yes, I can do it next week… I couldn’t be there on Saturday because I was doing an appearance in Palm Springs,” Liberman recollects and that would seemingly be Kobe’s last text to her.

Saturday midnight, Kobe called to discuss the details. “You have as long as you want with Gigi and her team,” Bryant told her. Tragically, this practice session never happened, revealed Lieberman, who heard the news of Kobe’s passing the very next morning. “I couldn’t breathe,” she adds, for her bond with Kobe was of years of love and respect.

When Liberman was an assistant coach to the Kings – only the second female to hold the role in NBA – in 2015, she had trouble getting past the security. Kobe intervened then too. “Sir, this woman is the assistant coach of that team… If a man had that gear on, you wouldn’t have said anything to him,” Liberman recalled via Yahoo Sports. That wouldn’t be the first time the 66-year-old witnessed Kobe’s advocacy and she wouldn’t be the only one either.

Kobe Bryant’s advocacy for women’s sports carried forward

Kobe Bryant, as a player and father, was a frequent presence at WNBA and college women’s basketball. That alone was enough to draw the attention to the games. But Kobe’s stand, extended much beyond that, being a mentor to many. One such was Oregon star Sabrina Ionescu. The Liberty star frequently trained with him, trained his daughter, and dedicated part of her season to his memory.

Kobe was invested enough to dedicate a whole ESPN episode of his show to analyze Ionescu’s game and even breakdown Elena Delle Donne and Breanna Stewart’s games at times. He even gave Diana Taurasi the “The White Mamba” nickname, and she continued to reciprocate, wearing number 8 through the 2020 season.

His advocacy is now to be continued through the impact he exuded. “I want us to continue to push for what he was most recently striving for in terms of equity and opportunity for young girls, for girls like his daughters that are still with us,” LA Sparks head coach Derek Fisher had said while Chad Faulkne, who co-launched the Mamba academy iterated that he way going to carry forward Kobe’s work there and lend support to Vanessa if she wanted to be involved.

Well, the mother of three now, has seemingly ensured to keep up with the legacy in efforts to elevate women’s basketball and heed to the interest in her younger daughter.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us in the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.