What Was Kobe Bryant’s Relationship With Rising Basketball Star Hailey Van Lith and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?

Hailey Van Lith, who is making waves in the basketball world and the internet through her skills and talent in women’s basketball, is handling everything with ease. There were sources that said she had a strong relationship with former Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Lith trained with the late great Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant in high school. 

With the Louisville Cardinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference, she recently led her into the final four of the NCAA tournament. She has been gaining popularity after winning gold with the United States at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Argentina.

Since then, she has achieved many milestones in her career. Her team was also awarded another gold medal at the 2019 FIBA 3×3 under-18 World Cup in Mongolia. She was named the most valuable player in that tournament.

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She played basketball in a tiny town called Cashmere, Washington, before these accomplishments and fame came her way. However, her skills in the game caught the eye of basketball legend Bryant.

Hailey Van Lith received great guidance from Kobe Bryant, a former Lakers star

It all began in Thailand after her team’s game with the Team USA Under-19 team. It was summer 2019, and she received a text from the legend. She shared the text, and described what it said:

“The text was from one of Kobe’s main guys — I called him ‘T,’ and he just basically said that Kobe knew about me, loved my game, and really wanted to get me to L.A. to work with him and talk about basketball,” Hailey reported to the Los Angeles Times.

Continuing, she said: “I couldn’t believe it, that he actually knew who I was and thought I was a good player. When I later asked him, ‘Why me? ‘ He basically said the way I play, my work ethic and mentality on the court, reminded him of himself, and it compelled him to reach out to me.”

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In an interview after leading her team to victory over Michigan, she talked about Bryant. She was asked what the former Laker would say to her at that moment.

It was a teacher-student relationship with Bryant and he helped her to reach her goals and to believe in herself. Additionally, to improve every aspect of her game so that she can represent women’s basketball in the future.

She is doing that right now and making every effort to encourage women athletes. Please let us know what you think in the comments section.