Kobe Bryant wasn’t the team captain, nor was he even the top scorer. But his performance that day encapsulated the intensity he brought to the game everyday, remembered Rowan Barrett, the Canadian shooting guard who lined up against him. But none of that meant anything to Bryant, who scored Team USA’s first basket with a characteristic draw move for a layup squeezed between three defenders. The game wasn’t about sneaker contracts, it wasn’t about sponsorship, it didn’t seem to be about how much money he could make. Rather than focus on highlight reels, Barrett said Kobe just wanted to win.

Source: thestar January 27, 2020 00:02 UTC