MANILA, Philippines (July 14, 2011) - Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant reconnects with his fans in Manila and he loves it.
During Kobe's third visit to the Philippines this week he was all praises for the Filipinos' passion for basketball and he looks forward to visiting the basketball-crazed country every summer.
Manila is Kobe's first stop in his Nike-sponsored five-city Asian tour and he clearly enjoyed every minute of his brief stay. He flew in the other day and immediately got occupied with media interviews, session with fans at the Nike Superstore on High Street and a work-out with local players at the Araneta Coliseum.
Yesterday afternoon, he not only coached the Nike-sponsored UAAP All-Stars in an exhibition match with the Smart Gilas Pilipinas but he also voluntered near mid-game to reinforce the clearly disadvantaged college players. Fans at the jam-packed Araneta Coliseum cheered wildly when Kobe stepped on the floor donning an FEU uniform and amazed the fans with his signature dazzling dunks.
The Kobe-reinforced UAAP All-Stars still lost to the national team, 45-41, but the Pinoy players were excited at the surreal experience of playing with one of the living legends of basketball.
Bryant, 32, shared his thoughts on various topics. But his main message was for those aspiring to play the game at a high level, “to work hard, challenge your will and dominate yourself.”
Although he was hampered by injuries in the past NBA season, Bryant said it didn’t stop him from competing. “If I’m hurt but I’m still standing, I’ll go out there and give it my best shot,” he said. “It’s just the love of the game. I love playing. I don’t like taking days off. I don’t like quitting. It’s not who I am. To me, it’s about winning. Somebody has to win and I’d rather (that somebody) be me.”
With 15 NBA seasons under his belt, Bryant said he continues to keep pushing himself to the limit in the gym. “I keep working, I keep training,” he said. “I’ve been taking care of my body since I was 18, not just now. There’s no secret to improving your game. It’s just constant practice. You practice to get better. I enjoy training, it’s fun. The fun comes in when you’re tired and you push yourself to try to be the best player you can be. You challenge your will. At the same time, you listen to your body and take care of it.”
Bryant said persistence is a virtue that leads to accomplishing goals. “First of all, you’ve got to love and have the passion for playing,” he said. “When you’re faced with setbacks, you’ve got to be persistent and work harder to accomplish your goals.”
