Roland Lazenby, a famous sportswriter who wrote biographies about Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and many other sports legends recently shared his thoughts in an interview with Adit Pujari of The SportsRush.
Lazenby discussed a major difference between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, revealing the reason why Kobe never went to college. He also spoke about how going to collegehelped Jordan be successful, especially with the positive guidance of his parents, James and Deloris Jordan.
“The real thing that made the difference in Tex’s (Tex Winter) mind was that Michael Jordan went to college and played three years of college ball. Now what people don’t understand, he played at North Carolina, which was a system basketball program. He dunked against Maryland and Dean Smith wouldn’t even show the video of it on his coach’s show. It was a system that tightly controlled things.”
Lazenby then discussed how Kobe wanted to provide financial assistance to his parents and went pro after high school, not exploring any opportunity to pursue playing for Coach K at Duke.
“He [Tex Winter] said that Kobe didn’t go to college. Kobe had very mixed feelings about that. He wanted to go play for Mike Krzyzewski [Coach K] at Duke, but his parents, what people didn’t realize, his parents were badly in need of money."
Another factor was Sonny Vaccaro, the man who helped Nike sign Michael Jordan. Vaccaro had been fired by Nike and told Lazenby in conversations that he made sure that he signed Kobe for Adidas when he was in high school so Nike couldn't get another future superstar and so the NCAA couldn't benefit through Kobe either.
"Sonny Vaccaro, who had been fired by Nike mysteriously, was with Adidas and Sonny told me and explained for my book about Kobe, Showboat, that the most clandestine thing he did was they stalked once they realized Kobe was Kobe. Sonny had a vendetta against the NCAA or college basketball and a vendetta against Nike, as he explained it to me. Sonny being of Italian heritage, the vendetta is a big thing. He wanted to steal the next great star from college basketball and from Nike. And so he accomplished that. The spring of Kobe’s senior year in high school, right after he’d finished the season and won a championship, Adidas had a contract for Kobe.”
Vaccaro's attempts didn't yield much long-term gain, as Kobe ultimately found his way to Nike in 2003. Since then, the Nike Kobe shoes have been among the most coveted basketball sneakers in the world. Even though Kobe didn't get to develop his game in college like Jordan did for two seasons, he managed to learn on the fly in the NBA and become a championship-winning player by his fourth season.
Jordan blossomed as a star in the NCAA and was one of the greatest rookies the NBA had ever seen. Kobe had to adjust to the NBA but was unstoppable once he did it. There's no conclusive way of saying that Kobe would have been better off if he went to college given the incredible levels of success he achieved anyway.
Lazenby had spoken to Fadeaway World in 2020 where he gave an illuminating interview where he delves into his career and what he learned through his extensive study of Jordan, Kobe, and Magic Johnson, amongst other things.
This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.
FAQs
“He [Tex Winter] said that Kobe didn't go to college. Kobe had very mixed feelings about that. He wanted to go play for Mike Krzyzewski [Coach K] at Duke, but his parents, what people didn't realize, his parents were badly in need of money." Another factor was Sonny Vaccaro, the man who helped Nike sign Michael Jordan.
Why did Kobe have problems with his parents? ›
Reports indicate that tensions between Kobe and his parents surfaced when he began dating Vanessa Bryant, culminating in their absence from the couple's wedding in 2001.
Did Kobe Bryant come from a poor family? ›
Kobe Bryant did not grow up in poverty, but his family did not enjoy the same level of wealth and privilege as some other NBA players. Kobe was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, was an NBA player, which meant the family had a comfortable middle-class lifestyle.
Why did Kobe's parents name him Kobe? ›
Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, the youngest of three children and the only son of Pamela Cox Bryant and former NBA player Joe Bryant. He was also the maternal nephew of NBA player John "Chubby" Cox. His parents named him after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan, which they saw on a restaurant menu.
Did Kobe Bryant sue his parents? ›
Before the scheduled trial, the two sides reached a settlement that allowed less than 10 percent of the items to be sold. Bryant's parents, Pamela and Joe, then issued a written apology to their son. “We regret our actions and statements related to the Kobe Bryant auction memorabilia,” the statement read.
Did Kobe's parents attend his funeral? ›
Yes, Kobe Bryant's parents, Joe and Pamela Bryant, did attend his private funeral.
Who did Kobe Bryant leave his money to? ›
As a result, his wealth, including a $600m USD estate, passed to his wife.
What did Kobe's mom do? ›
Was Kobe Bryant fluent in Italian? ›
“The arena crowd would stay put and stare, and it never bothered the boy. The game officials would have to kick him off the court so they could restart the game.” Settled in a new school, Kobe and his older sisters learned to speak fluent Italian within months of moving there — including all the expletives.
Did Kobe Bryant go to college? ›
Kobe Bryant didn't go to college.
What are the most assists in a game by a rookie point guard?
Yes, you heard that right. Lebron sleeps 12 hours a night and Kobe sleeps (or at least slept) 4 hours a night. This is only being mentioned here because it is interesting that these two players who are often compared and measured against each other by fans both have extreme sleep patterns but in opposite ways.
What does Kobe mean in slang? ›
Because Kobe is slang for "doing something that requires a great deal of skill and technical prowess" (often used ironically for mundane tasks or things which are pure luck, just like freeing yourself from the hook) and the self-unhook action looks kind of like you're going for a free throw in basketball.
Did Kobe's parents sell his rings? ›
This is the third time Bryant's ring has been sold since it was auctioned in 2013 by his parents, Joe and Pam. It was most recently sold a year ago by SPC Auctions.
Did Kobe Bryant's parents like his wife? ›
Prior to his death, Kobe and his parents reportedly attempted to make amends after several fallouts that began when he started dating Vanessa. Joe and Pamela didn't attend the couple's wedding in April 2001. Over the years, their brief reconciliations were documented, but that came to a halt in 2013.
Why didn t Kobe Bryant get along with his parents? ›
As per sources, Bryant had a rocky relationship with his parents, Joe and Pamela Bryant after they did not approve of his wife, Vanessa. But they were able to reconcile after Bryant's daughter Gianna was born. However, that was squandered too after the 2013 auction incident.
What did Kobe Bryant mother do? ›
What did Kobe do to help kids? ›
“As one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Kobe's spotlight was brighter than almost anyone's, and he used it to help millions of kids. For 12 years he was an ambassador for After-School All-Stars, and he used his time and his resources to inspire our 90,000 kids and help build opportunities for them.
Why was Kobe getting a divorce? ›
Vanessa Bryant, who stood by her husband when he was charged with sexual assault in 2003, filed for divorce just under 13 months ago, citing irreconcilable differences after a decade of marriage.
Is Kobe's dad alive? ›
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant (born October 19, 1954) is an American retired professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of the former Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005, until April 4, 2007.
