Kobe Bryant’s Undying Faith on 26YO Motivational Speaker Boosted Noble Venture: “He Described the Struggles…”

Kobe Bryant once said, “I think it’s important for athletes to own what they are going through.” A former D1 athlete went about making a difference when she received unprecedented support from the Black Mamba. Mental Health advocate Victoria Garrick Browne is a phenomenal inspiration who is saving many lives. It was Kobe Bryant who recognized the magnitude of her work instantly. During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the former USC volleyball player expressed how much Kobe’s support meant.

Browne is helping student-athletes keep up with mental wellness through her nonprofit, The Hidden Opponent, and her podcast, The Real Pod. She was also the spokesperson for one of Bryant’s last books, Geese Are Never Swans through which he championed mental health. She revealed to Kelly Clarkson how this subject bonded them.

They met when Browne was still playing at USC. She had the opportunity to ask him a question and she asked him about mental health. “I thought, what would someone like Kobe have to say about mental health? So I asked him the question, not knowing what kind of answer I would get,” she said about her meager expectations.

“I was blown away by how beautifully he described the struggles that athletes experience and how we should honor that and own what we’re going through.” As much as the Mamba Mentality was about winning, the 5x NBA champion also never hid how much he struggled with his mental health. As Browne said, he owned it, especially when he was adapting to a post-NBA life after 20 seasons.

The opportunity Browne is referencing was in 2018. The D1 athlete and PAC-12 champion was at an event with Bryant as the speaker. She was given a microphone and she asked him about athletes taking on the mental health conversation.

“I think it’s important for athletes to own what they are going through. I think a lot of times we try to tell children, tell young athletes in particular, that you have those thoughts and those feelings, that’s weakness. That’s bad. You shouldn’t be feeling that,” Kobe answered at that time.

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“I think the most important thing is for us to be aware of what’s going on in here. Not that it’s bad, good and different but it’s awareness and once you’re aware of it, then you can choose to walk hand-in-hand with it or you can choose to fight it but you’re making that decision.” That answer was the start of an incredible friendship and Browne continuing his campaign for mental health advocacy.

Kobe Bryant remains an inspiration

Inspired by Bryant, Browne started The Hidden Opponent through Instagram. Immediately, Bryant was the first to follow. “It was like an empty page, no posts, like, no context, but he followed it and it was his support initially, that gave me so much motivation.”

Browne has grown her advocacy and gone further since that push from Bryant. She knew he felt not enough people, especially athletes, were talking about the hard topics and that’s why he championed it. She hopes to keep his cause going by pushing this conversation.

Victoria has found much more support since the push by Bryant and his family. It shows how much of an impact Bryant continues to have on athletes.

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