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BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 05: Kobe Bryant attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 5, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
via Getty
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 05: Kobe Bryant attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 5, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
The era of basketball witnessed a major shift with the introduction of Kobe Bryant. The former Los Angeles Lakers star became an icon before even stepping into an NBA court. Such was his influence that even his contemporaries wanted to match him by any means possible.
One such incident recently came to the limelight as a three-time NBA All-Star shared his story. A hilarious turn of events, but a memorable one for sure.
How did he emulate Kobe Bryant?
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In the recent episode of UNINTERRUPTED,?Gilbert Arenas talked about his going to the NBA moment surrounding Kobe Bryant. During Arenas’ high school years, the five-time NBA champion once visited Venice Beach. Unfortunately, he reportedly got injured that time around.
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Reflecting on that, Gilbert said, “He broke his hand at Venice Beach”. The former Golden State Warriors star visited the same spot the next day. “Then I went down there,”?he mentioned before adding, “Broke my hand,” highlighting how he faced the exact same fate. In the podcast, he called that his destiny, as back as he rejoiced, “I’m going to the league”.
For suffering from the same outcome he the late great Black Mamba, he believed he was destined for the NBA. For a dreamer in his early 20s, it was enough to keep him inspired. Then it happened.
As fate would have it!
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Gilbert eventually landed in the NBA after the Warriors picked him in the 2001 draft. He went on to represent the franchise for three seasons before his career-defining move to the Washington Wizards.
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LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 16: Retired NBA basketball player Gilbert Arenas attends The Rise Challenge presented by Kmart at Microsoft Square at LA Live on July 16, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Keipher McKennie/WireImage)
He became an All-Star thrice in the mid-2000s and deservingly so. Despite not winning a championship, he was one of the standout players of the NBA during that period.
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Back then, Gilbert must have never thought of coming to the NBA and staying there for over a decade. Maybe this story serves as a reminder of his humble beginnings for him. An ambitious boy to an unforgettable, all by following in the footsteps of Kobe Bryant.
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