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Frances Tiafoe recently spoke about how gets inspired by basketball icons like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
Tiafoe is known for his love of basketball and is a dedicated NBA fan who frequently attends games. The former World No. 10 also participated in the 2023 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game held in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Recently speaking to Nick Kyrgios on his video podcast, Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios, Frances Tiafoe revealed that he draws inspiration from basketball legends like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. He stated that he liked their carefree, happy attitude off-court but also their competitive attitude once they were on the court.
“It's all outside tennis. You see (Le)Bron (James), you see Kobe, right? I mean, you know those guys like seeing them; you know, being cool with their teammates, whatever cool with their friends. But when it was out there, like, you know, me and you were so tight, we joked around right before we got out there, then it’s on," Tiafoe said (at 6:43).
Tiafoe credited these legends for helping him channel his calmness and focus while playing tennis.
"Same with those guys, especially with the best players in the world. Everyone stepped in, and I wanted to show the world what I could do. Then I just get super excited, and those guys definitely help with it,” he added.
In addition to Bryant and James, Tiafoe said that he is a fan of players like Russell Westbrook, Dennis Rodman, and John Wall. He also added that he liked people who are authentic regardless of their environment and don't change themselves.
“I mean, I’m going to go to guys like Russell Westbrook and Dennis Rodman back in the day. I’m a huge fan of his. Even my favorite player of all time, John Wall, I thought he did it with such swagger, and he didn't care. He was him. But I love guys who do anything at eye level, and they’re just them; they’re not changing for the environment,” Frances Tiafoe said (at 13:45).
Frances Tiafoe on the challenges he had overcome during his childhood: "We’re going to practice wearing hand-me-down stuff"
At the aforementioned podcast, Frances Tiafoe opened up about the challenges he and his twin brother, Franklin, faced in their journey to become professional tennis players.
Tiafoe's parents, Constant and Alphina Kamara, immigrated to the United States to escape a civil war in their home country. The family experienced financial difficulties, which impacted the brothers' tennis aspirations.
Tiafoe revealed that during their early years, he and Franklin competed in tennis tournaments with inadequate equipment, using demo rackets and wearing hand-me-down clothes that made them stand out as a source of amusement for others.
“There’s days where it got tough for me, my brother. We’re going to practice, and we’re wearing hand-me-down stuff or demo rackets, whatever you can play with. People are laughing at us, saying, ‘This guy thinks he can be a pro, or this guy is playing with holes in his shoes, whose shoes are those or Pikachu shirts and khaki shorts, and I’m playing tournaments, and they’re like, ‘That’s not even tournament equipment’ and I’m like, ‘This is all I got,’” he said (at 4:06).
Expressing gratitude for his parents' hard work and sacrifice, Frances Tiafoe revealed that he had promised his family that he would turn pro and then take care of all of them.
"Anything that came my way, I was very appreciative. So yeah, I mean, then I’m just sitting there sleeping on the massage table with my dad and I’m like, ‘I’m going to be a pro; I’m going to take care of everybody,’” Frances Tiafoe said.
