Heartbroken Kobe Bryant Was Left Dejected Despite NBA Finals Victory Only for One Crucial Reason

The Los Angeles Lakers faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals. It was an exciting series, as it was the young star Kobe Bryant’s second appearance in the NBA finals. Bryant was playing in his home state of Philadelphia for three matches in a row. People all around the world wanted to see if the young star could win back-to-back championships. The team also had Shaquille O’Neal, who was a superstar in the league and had won the Finals MVP the previous year.

The Lakers closed the series out in five in Philadelphia, with Bryant averaging 24.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 5.8 APG. Following the win, people were not expecting the response they got from Bryant.

Kobe Bryant’s reaction to winning the championship puzzled the fans

Bryant did not seem happy after winning the championship in Philadelphia. This was because his parents didn’t come to any of his games. They lived in Philadelphia, but because of their disagreement with Bryant, they decided not to attend any games in the finals. Bryant made the decision to marry Vanessa Laine, his then-girlfriend. His parents opposed it. This was because Vanessa was a Latina, but his parents wanted him to marry an African-American.

The Los Angeles Lakers recently shared this iconic clip of Bryant following his championship win in 2001. It suddenly reminded people of its history.

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Kobe Bryant was later seen sitting in the shower and crying while holding the championship trophy. Everyone assumed he was crying because he was happy and had won the championship, but Kobe revealed after a while that it was because of his dad.

Bryant’s rocky relationship with his parents

Kobe Bryant’s parents did not attend his own son’s wedding. The relationship with them hit another wall in 2010. It came to light that Bryant’s parents were auctioning off his high school jerseys and two rings from his 2000 NBA title with the Lakers. These were gifts given by The Black Mamba to his parents.

Kobe later tried to sue the auction house, and eventually, an apology was given out by Bryant’s parents. It stated, “We regret our actions and statements related to the Kobe Bryant auction memorabilia. We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we have caused our son and appreciate the financial support he has provided over the years.”

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These experiences in his life eventually led him to be an amazing father. After his retirement from the sport, he spent as much time as he could with his family. Bryant was surely a role model for so many people because of how he lived. His work ethic on the court and his love and care for his family off the court were things people wished to follow in their own lives.