Back-to-back title para sa Lakers ang hamon kay Bryant

MANILA, Philippines - Para sa Los Angelos basketball star na si Kobe Bryant, magiging malaking hamon ang back-to-back title sa NBA.

“It’s going to be tough but I hope we do it,” ani Bryant na bumisita dito sa bansa para sa kanyang Asia Tour. “The other teams have gotten better and stronger. We’re a different team now.”

Ngunit kung magiging determinado ang team ayon kay Bryant ay malaki ang kanilang tsansa sa titulo.

“But if we work even harder than we did last season, we can do it. It’s all about dedication to succeed. You can accomplish anything you want to if you work hard to do it. That’s the same principle in aspiring to play in the NBA.”

Sinabi ni Bryant na ang kanilang nakaraang panalo sa NBA Finals ay patunay ng kanilang dedikasyong maging mahusay na team ngunit walang katiyakan na muli nilang makukuha ang korona sa season na ito.

Malayo naman sa isip ni Bryant ang maging playing coach.

“No way I’ll ever be a playing coach,” aniya. “It’s hard enough to be a player. I still need to work 10 times harder as a player. If I take on the added responsibility of coaching, I just won’t have time to do other things. I certainly wouldn’t have time left for my family. Will I coach after playing? No, no. That’s not for me.”

Maaalalang umiskor si Bryant ng 81-puntos kontra sa Toronto noong Jan. 22, 2006 na hindi niya malilimutan.

“It was the first time my grandmother came to watch me play,” he recalled. “My grandfather died a few years before and it was his birthday that day. So the day was very special and memorable to me.”

Ito ang most points scored sa NBA sapul nang umiskor ng 100 si Wilt Chamberlain noong 1962 at bilang pag-alala nito ay nilagyan ng ‘81’ ang kanyang Dream Season shoe, ang bagong disenyo ng Nike para sa outdoor game. (MBalbuena)