Italy in the destiny of Kobe Bryant. Trying to rewind the thread of a story that was dramatically interrupted exactly one year ago. Italy known in 1984, when dad Joe – his career in the NBA ended – moved to Rieti.
Spends the mornings at the Lisciano public school, on the Terminillese. He learns Italian so well that he will be the family interpreter. In the afternoon, little Kobe goes to training with his father, at the Palaloniano. He stands there, observes, plays, learns, wants to challenge the older kids.
The second Italian stop is Reggio Calabria: that’s where dad Joe, mom Pamela, little Kobe and the sisters Sharia and Shaya move.
This is where he begins to seriously play minibasket. And in the interval of matches there was the “Kobe Bryant Show”: the boy would stand in the middle of the field, look at the people around, start dribbling and then go to the shooting. Another season, another adventure up and down Italy: from 1987 to 1989 Joe and his family are in Pistoia; and then move to Reggio Emilia (here on the first anniversary of his death the dedication of the first square to Kobe and Gianna Bryant) for another two years, where Kobe begins to shine with its own light.
These are the years in which Sacchi’s Milan – and Maldini, Gullit, Rijkaard, Baresi – wins in Italy and in Europe giving a show. And Kobe becomes a Milanista. A true, passionate fan, “I am Rossoneri in my blood”, he will say later; a fan who – from Los Angeles, who has become a planetary star – will follow the games of his favorite team as soon as he can.
Total: between amatriciana and soppressata, between tortellini and focaccia, seven years and four cities in Italy for Kobe, from 1984 to 1991, from 6 to 13 years old, in the age in which one grows up, forms, gives identity to one’s own ambitions. And the “Italian Kobe” comes up with one goal: to become the strongest.
Suffice it here to recall an anecdote: in 1989, at the age of 11, Kobe is training with the youth team of Reggio Emilia, but during a workout he hurts his knee, is forced to return to the locker room, limps. When his companions reach him, Kobe is crying bitterly, it’s a desperate cry. Everyone tries to console him, Kobe sobs, gets angry, screams that this injury will preclude his career in the NBA, because it is clear that he – he tells his teammates – will become an NBA champion. Comrades and coaches laugh, nudge each other, joke. But Kobe remains serious. Seven years later, in 1996, he will make his NBA debut.
From a sentimental point of view, Kobe can be considered an honorary citizen, our country has always carried it in the heart and in the memories. A bit of Italy has also passed on to the names of his daughters, Natalia Diamante, Bianka Bella, Capri Kobe and Gianna Maria-Onore, the latter who died with her father at the age of 13 in the helicopter crash a year ago.
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