Kobe Bryant finished his NBA career as one of the most beloved players in the league, posting incredible performances over the years, showing that as long as you work hard for what you want, you will always get it. During his 20-year tenure in the league, Bryant became a force, had to reinvent himself, was patient, and waited for the right time to attack and win, becoming a 5-time NBA champion.
It wasn’t an easy journey, but Kobe never ran away from the grind. In fact, he embraced it and constantly wanted to prove to himself that he was capable of doing many things. During that process, he found a lot of inspiration, especially in NBA stars that did what he wanted to do once he landed in the association.
Somehow, Kobe was close to them as his father tried to make sure that the Little Mamba had some autographs from players in the league. During an old interview, Kobe recalled the first pair of autographed sneakers he got, naming a couple of interesting names.
Reporter: “Do you remember the first autograph or pair of signed sneakers that you got when you were that age?”
Kobe: “What did I get? My father actually got me an autograph from Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Penny Hardaway… Shaquille O’Neal.”
Reporter: “Do you still have them?”
Kobe: “I’m sure I have them somewhere. How funny is that though? Shaq was really nice to me. Actually, I met him when I was 15 years old. He was really nice to me. Penny not so much. I kind of carried that with me for the rest of my career.”
Knowing how Kobe was, he probably took things personally and tried to get revenge on the court whenever he faced Penny. He had a tumultuous relationship with Shaq despite being one of the best duos in NBA history, following a story that started when Kobe was a teenager.
The Black Mamba knew what others did for him, and he never hesitated to make sure his fans felt appreciated. He hardly ever missed a game and was constantly joking with little kids, trying to cheer them up. Kobe was a star that liked to see those who support him happy, and until the last day he lived on earth, he never stopped doing it.
