Kobe Bryant had a unique basketball journey. While most American basketball prospects passed through the AAU circuit en route to the NBA, Bryant honed his skills in Italy.
Perfecting one's skills in America makes sense at face value, as it has produced plenty of basketball prodigies. However, as Kobe realized, his early training in Italy gave him a massive advantage over these AAU prospects.
Fundamentals above everything else
Bryant lived in Italy from age six to 13 while his dad, Joe Bryant, played for various teams in the country. While the young KB polished his skills European style, prospects at AAU beefed up their athletic abilities. This gave the "Black Mamba" an advantage early on.
"I was lucky to grow up in Italy at a time when basketball in America was getting f***** up with AAU shuffling players through on strength and athleticism," Bryant said, per Sports Illustrated, via Yahoo Sports .
"I missed all that, and instead, I was taught extreme fundamentals: footwork, footwork, footwork, how to create space, how to handle the ball, how to protect the ball, how to shoot the ball. I wasn't the strongest kid at that camp. I wasn't the fastest. I wasn't the most athletic. I was probably the most skillful, but that didn't matter. It was all about the 360 windmill dunks," he added.
When it was time to showcase his skills to NBA scouts, Kobe's mastery of the fundamentals set him apart from prospects who could jump through the roof or outmuscle two or three defenders. By the time he was 17, the 6'6" guard's fundamentals were so good that he was ready to move on to advanced tactics.
Meanwhile, his contemporaries were stuck working on their foundations. They found out that almost everyone in the NBA could jump as high as them and was also athletic, failing to realize that mastery of the basics is the key to a successful career.
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The rise of European basketball
This is why European ballers have been dominating the NBA. Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic are two of the best players out of Europe today. They don't need athleticism to dominate; they only need their superior basketball mind.
Additionally, the NBA has gotten softer over the years. Kobe preferred a more physical game because it forced players to work on the basics. Instead, they rely on the referees when there's too much contact.
"I feel like European basketball is more physical than the NBA is right now," Kobe said in 2018 .
"It challenges players to improve their skill level because now, if you can hand check, and things like that, you really must be fundamentally sound. You must be able to handle the ball to be able to get past defenders," he added.
Hopefully, American coaches and players will understand what Kobe meant and prioritize fundamentals over everything else. This will benefit not just the prospects but also the game of basketball.
Related: "It's 95 percent done" - Kobe Bryant was reportedly close to playing in Italy during the NBA lockout
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