Kobe Bryant’s greatness as a basketball player is unquestioned. But he was also known for his prickly personality and his villainous on-court demeanor as the self-named Black Mamba. The first piece, from 2000, finds the player discussing his early motivations to become great, including being inspired by the success of his father, pro basketball player Joseph Bryant. The episode arrives as many in the media grapple with how to talk about the less laudable aspects of Bryant’s legacy. In the clip, Bryant discusses a bedtime story he used to tell Gianna to encourage her athletic ambition, which at the time was to become a gymnast.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 29, 2020 03:02 UTC