“Basketball is his way in and so that’s what he uses” - Mike Sielski talks about Kobe Bryant’s early high school days on his return from Italy

The NBA world has certainly missed Kobe Bryant and his extreme love of the game of basketball. Sports columnist Mike Sielski recently published a book on the Los Angeles Lakers legend's life.

While talking about the book on The Woj Pod, Sielski told the story about when Bryant returned from Italy to America at 13. Sielski gave a glimpse into just how important basketball was to Kobe during his formative years.

The title of Sielski's book is The Rise: Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality and was released on January 11th 2022. With it being such a new book, Sielski has been doing his media tour to promote the book, and after the late Bryant’s death, it is a book many fans would like to own. During his appearance on the podcast with ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowksi, Sielski said,

"Kobe drops out of the sky into Lower Merion and he hadn't grown up the way most of the black kids in his school have, he hadn't grown up the way most of the white kids in his school have. He doesn't know what's cool in fashion. He doesn't know what's cool in music. He doesn't know what's cool to watch on TV, he doesn't know any of the catchphrases, and basketball is his way in, so that's what he uses."

Expand Tweet

Kobe Bryant came into high school not knowing much about the American culture after spending time in Italy. Basketball was his way of integrating himself into his new home. It was his way of communicating in a new world. It likely helped grow his drive to be great and the love for the game that was already growing.

Kobe Bryant was excellent in high school

Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant during his last game

Kobe Bryant was drafted straight out of high school, skipping the usual collegiate road to the NBA. To come into the league at such a young age, having never even played at a semi-professional level, points to how truly special and talented he was.

The Charlotte Hornets selected Bryant with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 draft, they then traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers, going on to set the scene for his historic career to take place. At just 17 years old, Bryant was on his way to the NBA after dominating the Pennsylvania high school basketball leagues, which included guiding his team to its first state championship in his senior year.

Expand Tweet

In his junior year in school, he averaged 31.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists as he carried his team for much of the season. His scoring numbers were insane, which would be a precursor to what was to come. Bryant is one of the best scorers in NBA history, going on to win two scoring titles (2006, 2007) during his playing days.

In his senior high school season, a year away from the NBA, Bryant averaged 30.8, 12 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. He added more to his overall game while increasing his rebounding and assist totals. Bryant also showed how great he could be on the defensive end, averaging four steals and 3.8 rebounds. Bryant was named to 12 NBA All-Defensive teams over the course of his career.

Kobe Bryant was undeniably an NBA great, and a lot of that promise first revealed itself while he was in high school. Kobe finished his remarkable career as a five-time NBA champion, 18-time All-Star, two-time NBA Finals MVP and a one-time league MVP. He averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals a game.