Kobe Bryant is part of many consequences around the NBA and international basketball. The Los Angeles Lakers legend always finds a way to be present in our lives, making an appearance whenever something big happens.
With Team USA struggling this year, a two-year-old video of Kobe has resurfaced to remind everybody that Team USA had a lot of work to do against the rest of the world. The competition at the international stage has gotten a lot harder, and this year has been the prime sample.
After Gregg Popovich’s squad lost against France in the Olympic tournament opener, fans blasted the team for blowing a big lead in the last minutes of the 4th quarter. They got comfortable, which is exactly what Kobe told them not to do in a 2019 FIBA World Cup commercial.
The Black Mamba served as the global ambassador of the tournament, held in China. Sideline Sources recently shared a video where he talked to some of the teams that could have a good chance at the title, encouraging them to give their best. In the end, he talked to his country, delivering a line that still resonates.
“USA, don’t get comfortable.”
It looks like the team never heard what Kobe said. They failed in China, getting eliminated by France in the quarter-finals. They lost two preparation matches in prior weeks, and France welcomed them to Tokyo with another upset.
Popovich and his pupils are having a hard time right now trying to figure out what they really want to do on the court. This isn’t a good situation for this team, and even if they win their next game, people will still doubt their chances of winning the tournament.
Kobe really could see the future. He saw Giannis Antetokounmpo winning the NBA MVP and MVP, with the Milwaukee Bucks star completing his challenges this season. Nikola Jokic did the same, earning MVP honors this season after a terrific campaign with the Denver Nuggets.
This guy was something else, and we don’t get tired of watching how many great stories he left behind.
