Kobe Bryant Gave Teenage Me Confidence

Imagining I was Kobe gave me an escape from the real world.

Kobe Bryant was the best player in the NBA and I wanted to play like him when I was a teenager.

Everything I saw him do on the hardwood, I tried to emulate.

Obviously, trying to do his 360 dunks (or any dunks for that matter) was always an epic fail. But I also tried his other moves -like his layups and crossovers- and sometimes it would turn out pretty awesome (other times, it was a disaster).

His playstyle didn’t suit me at all. I had just hit puberty and didn’t have my growth spurt yet. His athleticism was also something I didn’t have.

But yet, I wanted to play like him. I idolized Kobe. And it was because I wanted his confidence and grit.