Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, aka Black Mamba, once bullied ABCD camp participants, including LeBron James.
The legend of Kobe Bryant lives on. Not a day goes by without him being remembered or quoted. The way he played, the way he carried himself and the way he extolled hard work, it all lives in his place.
The man, the myth, the Black Mamba.
Kobe’s impact on basketball will be felt forever. He was one of a kind. The only player to come close to the greatness of Michael Jordan, Bryant ruled the 2000s like no one else did.
Mamba won 4 championships from 2000 to 2009. He won his 5th in 2010. In the same duration, he won 2 scoring titles, a Regular Season MVP and a Finals MVP.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever walk the court, Kobe Bryant’s fans were naturally global.
Especially after the Lakers hat-trick and Bean’s feud with Shaquille O’Neal, KB24 reached unprecedented heights.
When LeBron James entered the league, Kobe was only 24 years old and had already won three championships. LBJ came into the league knowing that Bryant would be the mountain to cross.
He knew this because he had met Bryant once before at an ABCD camp.
In 2001, Bryant joined the famous basketball camp and interacted with the players in attendance.
One of those players and the MVP of the camp was LeBron. But back then, Bryant was already a superstar in the making. He had averaged 28.5 points per game in the 2000-2001 season. And for James, it was worth listening to someone who could dominate the league at this level.
LeBron James claimed to soak up every word Kobe Bryant said
During camp, Bryant sat down to talk with the kids at camp. Most of those present pretended to be future NBA stars and talking to Kobe was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
During the conversation, Bean emphasized settling down and finding a life partner. Many of the children present were listening intently, but someone in the crowd yelled ‘soft’. That’s when Kobe had to let the youngsters know who’s boss.
He said: “That is not smooth because on the court I will leave you out.”
An adult LeBron James fondly remembered the encounter.
Bron: “I went to ABCD camp and he came over and talked to all the kids that were there. And I was just listening. He was trying to absorb as much as he could.”
Kobe Bryant was himself a protégé of the ABCD camp. He had participated in it just like LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Carmelo Anthony.
Read Also: Kobe Bryant Explained Why He Used to Play Through Injuries
