Retired basketball superstar Kobe Bryant takes a good look at the huge crowd during his Mamba Mentality Tour on Saturday night, June 25, 2016, at Araneta Coliseum. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
For the nth time, Filipinos screamed his name as often as they could, as loud as they could. As if it was April all over again and Araneta Coliseum is Staples Center.
It’s been more than two months since the curtains closed on Kobe Bryant, who had the kind of storybook ending only he could author.
There’s no denying the love Filipinos have for Bryant. The admiration for one of the greatest basketball players ever is unbridled and unmitigated.
As the Los Angeles Lakers legend uttered his parting message to cap off his Mamba Mentality Tour in the city he calls his “home away from home,” someone from the crowd disrupted his train of thought.
“I love you, Kobe!” the man shouted. “I love you too!” Bryant answered back.
For Kobe and millions of Filipinos, the feeling is mutual.
“I love it here. From the first time I came here, everybody embraced me with open arms and I vowed to always come back to Manila,” Bryant said, drawing a roar from the raucous crowd after an elaborate and grand introduction put up by Nike. “It’s like home away from home. I feel like I’m back in Staples Center. This is awesome.”
During a scrimmage pitting some of the country’s bright young stars against PBA players, the crowd tried its best to lure Bryant, the ultimate competitor, into playing. Just like old times.
But not today.
“No way. Not a chance,” said the 37-year-old Bryant, who played 20 seasons in the NBA, laughing.
“I’m retired. I stopped at 60,” he quipped.
Bryant raised five championship banners in Hollywood and on the same night he swept Manila off its feet just by his mere presence, a banner commemorating his seventh visit to this basketball-crazy city, now mirrors a streamer that reads “Thrilla in Manila.”
“I’m deeply honored by it. I’m speechless.”
“I just wanna say thank you so much for inspiring me in this journey,” said Bryant, turning emotional. “If I can leave anything with you guys in my retirement is that dreams do come true. Make your dreams come true.”
For the nth time, Bryant was enamored of being in a place he always loved. This won’t be the last of him.
“I retired professionally as a basketball player, but I haven’t retired coming here to Manila.”