Kobe Bryant in 2008: ‘Have a Good Time, Life Is Too Short to Get Bogged Down’

DAVID So why did ░░░░░░░░ create the Kobe Bryant ░░░░░░░░ Academy BRYANT You know ░░░░░░░░ just wanted to create ░░░░░░░░ atmosphere and environment where ░░░░░░░░ and parents alike can ░░░░░░░░ about the game DAVID ░░░░░░░░ you remember when you ░░░░░░░░ picked up a basketball ░░░░░░░░ old you were when ░░░░░░░░ started playing BRYANT I ░░░░░░░░ back to I think ░░░░░░░░ I was five And ░░░░░░░░ my father did I ░░░░░░░░ to emulate DAVID For ░░░░░░░░ you know who lives ░░░░░░░░ in Maine he s ░░░░░░░░ six months out of ░░░░░░░░ year there s snow ░░░░░░░░ the ground there s ░░░░░░░░ else to do I ░░░░░░░░ playing basketball Do you ░░░░░░░░ that feeling of basketball ░░░░░░░░ there for a person ░░░░░░░░ them grow being their ░░░░░░░░ in that way BRYANT ░░░░░░░░ question Because basketball itself ░░░░░░░░ such a metaphor for ░░░░░░░░ because you re facing ░░░░░░░░ obstacles and different challenges ░░░░░░░░ you play the game ░░░░░░░░ you have to overcome ░░░░░░░░ a lot of times ░░░░░░░░ have to look inwardly ░░░░░░░░ overcome them So inaudible ░░░░░░░░ for people DAVID For ░░░░░░░░ the hardest moment in ░░░░░░░░ life was losing his ░░░░░░░░ last fall What was ░░░░░░░░ for you What was ░░░░░░░░ hardest moment BRYANT In ░░░░░░░░ of being on the ░░░░░░░░ court moments when I ░░░░░░░░ those always tough moments ░░░░░░░░ you lose and when ░░░░░░░░ just doubts you and ░░░░░░░░ feel like personally you ░░░░░░░░ t you might not ░░░░░░░░ able to do it ░░░░░░░░ don t know if ░░░░░░░░ can lead a team ░░░░░░░░ a championship I don ░░░░░░░░ know it s going ░░░░░░░░ happen for us and ░░░░░░░░ what everybody is saying ░░░░░░░░ true and that s ░░░░░░░░ it really affects you ░░░░░░░░ that s when you ░░░░░░░░ need to keep faith ░░░░░░░░ keep on going DAVID ░░░░░░░░ me read you a ░░░░░░░░ bit of what Sean ░░░░░░░░ in the letter He ░░░░░░░░ I guess you could ░░░░░░░░ you re my idol ░░░░░░░░ you re more than ░░░░░░░░ He goes on to ░░░░░░░░ a story in the ░░░░░░░░ and then says I ░░░░░░░░ just like you to ░░░░░░░░ me one wish and ░░░░░░░░ me hang out with ░░░░░░░░ for just one day ░░░░░░░░ are you making that ░░░░░░░░ come true BRYANT Why ░░░░░░░░ You have the means ░░░░░░░░ make it happen why ░░░░░░░░ just make it happen ░░░░░░░░ What does it mean ░░░░░░░░ you to be in ░░░░░░░░ position where you can ░░░░░░░░ those dreams BRYANT You ░░░░░░░░ when you re a ░░░░░░░░ growing up the only ░░░░░░░░ you think about is ░░░░░░░░ the game because you ░░░░░░░░ to play it You ░░░░░░░░ do it because you ░░░░░░░░ doing it And sure ░░░░░░░░ want to be in ░░░░░░░░ NBA you want to ░░░░░░░░ championships and also this ░░░░░░░░ but you never think ░░░░░░░░ that age that the ░░░░░░░░ will be able to ░░░░░░░░ more than that So ░░░░░░░░ you get older you ░░░░░░░░ that that s really ░░░░░░░░ it s about It ░░░░░░░░ about how you reach ░░░░░░░░ how you connect with ░░░░░░░░ how you make the ░░░░░░░░ a better place one ░░░░░░░░ at a time That ░░░░░░░░ what really the game ░░░░░░░░ basketball has done for ░░░░░░░░ and that s what ░░░░░░░░ ve learned DAVID What ░░░░░░░░ you hope the kids ░░░░░░░░ especially Sean learn from ░░░░░░░░ from being here BRYANT ░░░░░░░░ have a good time ░░░░░░░░ a good time Enjoy ░░░░░░░░ Life s too short ░░░░░░░░ get bogged down to ░░░░░░░░ discouraged or you have ░░░░░░░░ keep moving you have ░░░░░░░░ keep going Put one ░░░░░░░░ in front of the ░░░░░░░░ smile and just keep ░░░░░░░░ rolling And that s ░░░░░░░░ really this camp is ░░░░░░░░ DAVID How would you ░░░░░░░░ to see a kid ░░░░░░░░ Sean play He has ░░░░░░░░ arm What would you ░░░░░░░░ to him BRYANT Go ░░░░░░░░ work Go to work ░░░░░░░░ to work He s ░░░░░░░░ different than any other ░░░░░░░░ That s the treatment ░░░░░░░░ s going to receive ░░░░░░░░ me no different Go ░░░░░░░░ you never know you ░░░░░░░░ never know unless you ░░░░░░░░ for it in the ░░░░░░░░ place.”