11 year old Kobe Bryant had a crucial conversation with his father, altering his basketball journey

NBA legend Kobe Bryant recalled how his father gave him all the confidence in the world to go out there and fail

When one thinks of Kobe Bryant, they imagine a tough competitor, a ruthless machine, but foremost, they imagine a winner. The Black Mamba was a true inspiration for us all, showing us how hard work and dedication can overcome other factors and lead to success.

The Mamba had an insane work ethic. He used to get up at 4 am and start his day with a workout. He dedicated his life to his craft, and in-turn ended up being one of the greatest ever to play the sport. However, it wasn’t always this way for Kobe.

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Just like the rest of us, Bryant had his challenges and struggles. In an interview, Kobe once revealed how his dad helped him get through a very difficult childhood moment.

Kobe Bryant described how his father helped him get the confidence he needed

Growing up in Philadelphia, Kobe knew he wanted to play basketball when he got older. As a kid, he went to a prominent summer league in Philly called the Sunny Hill league. Just like any other 10 or 11-year-old, Kobe hit a rough patch. He went scoreless the entire summer, and that started to affect his morale and confidence.

Kobe recalled crying about it and being upset, when his dad came and gave him a hug. He then proceeded to tell Kobe,

“Listen, whether you score 0 or you score 60, I’m going to love you no matter what.”

Mamba recalls how that was the most important thing a parent could tell their child in the situation. This gave him all the confidence in the world to fail. However, with Kobe being Kobe, he decided to just go out there and score 60 instead!

Having a parent support you like that is the best thing that can happen for a child. Kobe used his dad’s words to get the confidence he needed, and put the work to go along with it.

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On his birthday today, we miss Mamba and we’ll always use his words of wisdom to keep striving forward and getting better every day.