Former Laker Described Forming an “Automatic Connection” With Kobe Bryant Over Their Italian Bond

Not many players got a closer view of Kobe Bryant’s insatiable drive for greatness than Sasha Vujacic, who spent the first seven seasons of his 10-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. The former sharpshooter won two championships with the team but joined the roster during a down period in the franchise’s history. He recently opened up about the first conversation he had with Kobe after joining LA for the 2004-05 season.

Vujacic shared that he quickly bonded with the Mamba during their first meeting. The 41-year-old revealed that Kobe already knew he was coming to the team, and the pair were able to break things down with ten seconds of Italian. It was their shared Italian heritage that immediately brought them together.

Vujacic spent the first three years of his professional career in Italy. He played for Snaidero Udine of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A from 2001-04 before joining the Lakers. Considering Kobe spent a good portion of his childhood in Italy, the two quickly found something to bond over.

“My first time meeting Kobe was just, you know, kind of an automatic connection,” Vujacic explained on the Out the Mud Podcast.“That was like, kind of breaking every barrier and the iceberg, and we started talking.”

Vujacic shared that Kobe didn’t need much time to feel comfortable with his new teammate, as he could sense Vujacic’s intense play style while the team was participating in training camp at Loyola-San Diego.

Vujacic helped the Lakers rise back to the top of the league after they stumbled to the bottom following Shaquille O’Neal’s departure. LA won just 34 games in Sasha’s rookie year, but he would become a two-time champion by the end of his sixth season. Vujacic was able to establish a great relationship with Kobe through the franchise’s ups and downs.

Sasha Vujacic looked up to Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles

Vujacic talked about Kobe back in 2022, reminiscing on their times together before the Hall of Famer’s unexpected passing. He shared how he always looked up to the legendary shooting guard during his time in the association, even viewing him as a brotherly figure in his life.

“You know, Kobe was my big brother,” Vujacic said. “I was honored and lucky and you know just happy to be able to learn and compete against him every day, and I think he accepted me the first day when he saw that I’m also a little bit obsessed with winning and hard work and that’s how the mutual respect and brotherhood kind of started.”

Vujacic and Bryant built a strong bond and eventually win two titles together as a result of their obsessive work ethic. The 10-year veteran didn’t have as much of a role once the team was a title contender again, but his clutch shot-making made Vujacic a fan favorite for the Lakers faithful.