In 1984, when he was only six years old, Kobe Bryant’s family moved to Italy with the hope of earning a few extra paychecks after his father Joe retired from the NBA following an eight-year career.
Joe Bryant, also known as “Jellybean,” is a former basketball player who has played for several NBA teams including San Diego Clippers, Houston Rockets, and Philadelphia 76ers. Recently, he signed a contract with Sebastani Rieti, a team located in Rieti, a hilltop town near Rome. The team not only provided him with a new BMW but also gave him a cottage with a garden. They even built a basketball hoop on the external wall for his son Kobe to use. “It was a unique experience, we had a blast!” exclaimed Bryant.
It has been highlighted in Mike Sielski’s upcoming book, “The Rise – Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality” (published by St. Martin’s Press), that Kobe’s early years in Italy played a significant role in his later success as a basketball superstar. Sielski provides insights into Kobe’s formative years through interviews with over 100 individuals who knew him, along with previously unreleased interview transcripts with the late athlete, some of which were recorded when he was still a teenager. These revelations offer a glimpse into the essence of Kobe before he became the icon that he was remembered as.
On Sundays, Kobe used to watch his father play for his new Italian team, and he would help by wiping the sweat off the court in between plays. Being a smart kid, he negotiated his first sponsorship deal with Olimpia Pistoia, Joe’s second club in Italy, which involved wearing a sweatshirt with their logo while cleaning and receiving a new red bike as compensation. After dominating the court, he would entertain the crowd with his own style of basketball when he grabbed the ball and put on a show. Sielski describes him as a young version of his father, practicing dribbling and shooting, and only leaving the court when the referees kicked him out.
The young child wasn’t bothered by the onlookers in the stadium who would simply stare at him. The game could only resume once the referees removed him from the court.
After enrolling at a new school, Kobe and his older siblings became adept at speaking Italian, even learning curse words along the way. While living in Europe, the Bryant family was viewed as both a curiosity and a celebrity, with strangers often offering to buy them coffee or pay for their meal at a café.
Kobe noted in a 1996 interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer that people in Europe treat each other as equals and have a strong sense of community. They greet each other on the street and prioritize family values.
According to Sielski, the Bryant family grew closer and more resilient during their time abroad, particularly under the leadership of matriarch Pam.
The author explains that Joe Bryant learned the value of family during his time in Italy, where a Black Catholic woman helped him save his marriage and career. Italy was also where Joe could finally settle down and play basketball once a week with his son Kobe joining him on away games. Joe began coaching young Kobe when he was selected to play for his father’s club’s junior teams. Kobe displayed an unparalleled work ethic, showing up at the gym at 6 a.m. and playing through discomfort. The family returned to the US when Kobe was thirteen, but he struggled to adapt due to differences in language and culture. Nevertheless, Kobe credited his overseas experience with teaching him the fundamentals of basketball. He led the Lower Merion High School basketball team to their first state title in fifty-three years and made history by entering the NBA right out of high school at the age of 17. He became one of the greatest players in NBA history, winning numerous awards and titles. Tragically, Kobe and his daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. However, Joe’s grandmother’s prophecy that someone would change the family’s direction and accomplish great things seemed to come true in Kobe’s life.
