Jalen Brunson was inspired by Kobe Bryant long before he even set foot in the NBA.
Kobe Bryant is still revered by many NBA fans for paying the game forward in a way few others did. One of the biggest compliments directed at Bryant was how he looked out for the younger generation.
In the final years of his career, Bryant took several young players under his wing. But as it turns out, he did the same for up-and-coming players who were dreaming about reaching the NBA.
Kobe Bryant inspired Jalen Brunson, gifted him his Christmas game shoes
Ahead of the 2025 NBA Cup, Jalen Brunson sat down with ESPN to tell the story of his first time meeting Kobe Bryant in 2014, when his father, Rick Brunson, was a coach for the Chicago Bulls.
His mother, Sandra, was friends with and teammates with Sharia Bryant, Kobe’s sister. The two families remained close for years, and gave Brunson an opportunity to meet the great player.
“The Lakers were playing in Chicago for Christmas. Unfortunately, Kobe did not play… I just remember him walking that hallway. As a teenager, you’re trying to keep your cool.
“I said hi, shook his hand… That’s when he said, ‘Why work if you don’t want to be the best?’… That quote will stick with me forever. Everything else is kind of a blur.
Bryant’s motivational words were just the start, as the legendary star gave Brunson a pair of his shoes, which he wore to a high school tournament that he would dominate.
“He had these red hi-top Kobe 9s, the Christmas 9s. The shoes kind of just fell into my hand. It was like, ‘Here you go, these are for you.’
“I think when I got in the car, the whole night, I looked at it, and was like, ‘Oh, I’m definitely wearing these…’
“We had a team rule. We weren’t really supposed to wear non-team colored shoes. We were green and gold. I was like, ‘I’m wearing these red shoes. There’s nothing that’s going to stop me.’
“You just feel some type of way when you’re wearing a shoe like that. It gives you an extra confidence boost…
“I played pretty well. It was definitely the shoes… At that time, you’re not thinking anything of it. Knowing what I know now, I would have 1000% made sure he would have known.”
Jalen Brunson has a full-circle moment by signing with Nike
Eventually, Brunson would become a star in the NBA, and even get a chance to sign with Nike. And this year, his experience with Bryant comes full circle.
Nike is releasing Jalen Brunson’s shoes under the Kobe Brand, inspired by New York colors. It is his way of paying homage to his city and the man who inspired him over a decade ago.
It just goes to show how much this one moment of kindness and inspiration impacted a young player like Jalen Brunson.
Bryant will always be remembered as an amazing player. But perhaps his legacy is even greater when you consider the amount of players he inspired to be the best versions of themselves.
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