“Made Me Fall in Love”: 20YO Kobe Bryant Skillfully Shaking a Leg in Resurfaced Clip Leaves Fans Swirling in Nostalgia

Not a day has gone by when NBA Fans did not miss the presence and charismatic personality of the late Kobe Bryant. The legacy he left behind is remembered not only by the people in America but around the world. Bryant originated from California, which houses more than 1.5 million Filipinos.

This was the reason why the former player was a favorite amongst the people of the archipelagic country. Bryant himself had visited the Philippines many times during his NBA career. A resurfaced clip from one of those trips has taken the internet by storm.

Kobe Bryant performs the ‘Tinikling’

Kobe Bryant visited the Philippines for the first time back in 1998 to endorse a shoe brand. A mere 19 years old, he was still making his mark during that period, having only spent two years with the NBA.

During a dinner party, the Los Angeles Lakers player was seen donning a ‘Barong Tagalog’ a traditional clothing for Filipino men. A memorable moment occurred when he was pulled towards the stage by a local dancer. As the crowd cheered on, the dancer helped Bryant in performing one of their traditional dance styles named Tinikling.

Even though it looked as if he had never seen or even heard of the dance before, Bryant was quick to find his footing and learn how to follow along. The increasing pace of the song did not stop the player from keeping up with his partner.

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By the end of the dance, the crowd clapped whilst staying in their seats and being in awe of the future Black Mamba. ‘ClutchPoints’, an Instagram handle with over 720,000 followers, recently uploaded a clip of the dance.

Fans react as they remember the late player

ClutchPoints attached a comment on top of the video that said, “At this point we have to ask “Did we really know Kobe Bryant?””

Just like the people of Filipino 25 years ago, the people on YouTube and Instagram who watched the clip were left in awe and couldn’t believe what they saw. Many of them took to the comments section to share their thoughts.

A YouTube user shared her view by stating, “kobe’s love and appreciation for the philippines really made me fall in love with him on top of everything else. may he rest in paradise.” Following the same tribute, another person wrote, “I love the joy in this video, the joy in his smile.  Many will mourn.  He will live on and his journey is no longer alongside his family and friends.  His journey is now a different one.  May everyone rejoice in the ‘knowing’ and the journey they traveled together.”

A local person from the Philippines wrote, “Without hesitations and admiration  for our culture,We Filipinos never forget your kindness.”

While the comments section of the YouTube clip was filled with tributes, the people on Instagram took a more fun approach. One Instagram user wrote “He probably did that exact footwork doing ladder drills his whole life.” Following up on the drills part, another user wrote “Just in case anyone ever questions his footwork,” while others wrote remarks like, “Naw bro was doin ladder drills,” “This is just a ladder drill lol,” and, “That’s just a footwork drill. we been knew Kobe was diverse.”

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Taking up his athletic prowess, one user wrote, “If you think Kobe was gonna lose to that lady, you’re insane.” Another user unnecessarily wanted to start a fight as he wrote, “Could Jordan and Lebron do this?”

Kobe is still remembered in the minds and hearts of the people. Wherever he appears, he is bound to leave a smile on the faces of his fans.