Naomi Osaka Drops Heartfelt Admission About Why She Wears Kobe Bryant's Jersey

U.S. Open competitor and tennis icon Naomi Osaka revealed Tuesday why she oftentimes likes to wear former Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant's jersey after matches and practices.

Osaka defeated Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the U.S. Open in dominant fashion, and maybe that 'Mamba Mentality' is wearing off on her as she looks to win her third U.S. Open, after returning to the sport after stepping away for an extensive period of time.

"I think for me, I always wear Kobe [Bryant] jerseys after matches and practices because I feel a little bit like I can kind of keep his spirit with me." Osaka said.

The late Kobe Bryant passed away January 26th, 2020, alongside his daughter Gianna and seven others. Since then, there has been a damper on the sports world.

However, there are athletes like Osaka who truly embrace the mindset, approach, and work ethic that Bryant brought to the table when he was playing for the Lakers en route to five NBA Championships, supplanting his legacy as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

His influence on others was immense, and after he retired, he really started to spread wisdom onto others, and he and Osaka had a relationship because of it.

Osaka is set to play her second round match on Thursday against Karolina Muchova , and will surely have that Kobe Bryant jersey on once again when it's all said and done.

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