Kobe Bryant obviously cannot do anything to help the Los Angeles Lakers on the court this season, as he is out while recovering from shoulder surgery. However, that has not stopped him from making media appearances and meeting his other obligations.
According to Lakers Nation, Kobe and his wife Vanessa will be receiving an award for their charitable work at an upcoming gala. The Toberman Neighborhood Center is holding its eighth annual charity gala, and it has decided to honor Vanessa and Kobe Bryant with the Bill Sharman Humanitarian Award for "their countless hours of dedication to improving the lives of youths and families in need, both domestically and globally through sports, education and cultural enrichment."
The award is named after former Lakers coach Bill Sharman, and previous winners have included John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and Magic Johnson. Lakers president Jeanie Buss will present the award along with Lakers television broadcaster Stu Lantz, who is serving as master of ceremonies.
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The award announcement comes not long after Bryant opened up about an upcoming documentary that will cover the incidents surrounding the sexual assault allegations that Bryant faced after a 2003 incident in Colorado. Bryant admitted that he thought his legal issues had played a role in Vanessa's miscarriage. The two also announced that they were getting a divorce in 2011 before announcing two years later that they had called it off.
Perhaps those incidents are part of the reason why the Bryants have become so involved in humanitarian work, as harrowing life experiences often make people want to help out those less fortunate than themselves. Only Kobe and his wife know for sure, but the two seem to have taken the pain of troublesome experiences and channeled that energy into something positive, and it is good to see them rewarded for their efforts to give back.
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