Finding passion and purpose after professional sports can be a challenge, but Kobe Bryant pulled off the difficult shot with grace.Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were two of nine people to die in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif., just north of Los Angeles.
“I can’t think of another athlete who had a better transition,” Orr said of Bryant. He never met Bryant, but admired him from afar and has turned Bryant into Exhibit A on how to forge ahead after sports. Finding that next step forward after a career can be tough for anyone, not just professional athletes. But Orr said it can be especially tough for accomplished athletes. “It’s hard to remember life without their sport,” he said.
Bryant had a valuable stake in a sports drink company, a venture capital firm, a media studio and an Oscar to his name. That’s apart from his 20-year career as a Laker where Bryant earned $323.3 million over his 20 seasons, according to Spotrac.com, a website tracking the financial side of sports.