Kobe Bryant shares which university he would have chosen for college
Former NBA star Kobe Bryant gestures as he speaks to invited guests during an event to inaugurate new basketball playground in Paris, France, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017. AP/Michel Euler
There’s no doubt Kobe Bryant is one of, if not the greatest player in NBA history to have come out of high school.
At a time when the league still permitted teenagers to skip college and head straight for the pros, the then 18-year-old Bryant was a cut above the rest, despite not being a part of a powerhouse college program.
Bryant, who has since retired from the game, took to Twitter to reveal that he actually took summer classes at UCLA.
Little known fact, I did one year of summer school at @ucla after my rookie year but now I hire @usc film students on the regular #gofigure https://t.co/PYHVCz5JCL
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) November 20, 2017
“Little known fact, I did one year of summer school at @ucla after my rookie year but now I hire @usc film students on the regular,” he wrote, which prompted a fan to ask which school he would have opted to go, if he played college ball.
Turns out, “The Black Mamba” could have worn the bold blue colors of the Duke Blue Devils, after his playing days at Lower Merion High School.
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) November 20, 2017
In a subsequent tweet, the five-time NBA champion shared why he would have chosen Duke over its rival and fellow powerhouse program North Carolina Tar Heels.
“Coach Smith stopped recruiting me,” he said, referring to former Tar Heel coach Dean Smith. “He thought I would go pro and wished me luck. Coach K (Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski) kept at it.”
Maybe but Coach Smith stopped recruiting me. He thought I would go pro and wished me luck. Coach K kept at it. https://t.co/xS6OD8SmEV
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) November 20, 2017
Although their player-coach dynamic would not materialize in college, Krzyzewski and Bryant still worked together as part of Team USA over the years. Khristian Ibarrola /ra
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