Was Kobe Bryant Italian? Why did the basketball star consider himself “100% Italian”?

Kobe Bryant, an icon in basketball history, is often associated with American roots. However, his identity was greatly rooted in Italy, which made him proclaim himself 100% Italian. The reason behind this is that during his formative years, Kobe lived in Italy from the ages of six to thirteen while his father, Joe Bryant, played professional basketball.

The start of Kobe's Italian life began when his family found temporary residence in Italy because of his father's pursuit of basketball stardom. Kobe relocated to many cities before his family finally established themselves in Reggio Emilia.

For BaskeTime magazine, interviewed in 2016, he stated:

"I grew up here. I used to ride my bike here".

His childhood experiences included not only basketball but also learning the Italian language and customs. He became fluent in Italian, often showing this skill during interviews and public appearances.

During his stay in Italy, Kobe made lasting friendships with the local children and fell in love with Italian food and culture. According to Valeria Rubino's feature for ViaggioSport, such relationships were very important to him because they were not based on his status as a future NBA star.

Marco Ferraroni, a childhood friend of Kobe, remembers playing basketball with him on small courts and how Kobe's skills allowed him to compete with older players even at a young age. Ferraroni appeared in CNN's new Original Films and Series documentary Kobe: The Making of a Legend.

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Kobe's pride in his Italian heritage

Kobe was proud of his Italian heritage throughout his life. He often expressed fondness for the country, its traditions, and its contributions to sports. The discipline and passion he observed in Italian sports culture influenced his own "Mamba Mentality," which became synonymous with his approach to basketball, according to JRZY.

In interviews, Kobe often shared thoughts on how Italy helped him mature both personally and professionally. He loved being in Italy and made sure to let everyone know, often claiming to be an important part of himself.

Being an Italian speaker aided him in meeting fans and speaking with the basketball players he liked, deepening his affinity with the country.

Italian Basketball Federation President Giovanni Petrucci was interviewed by The Associated Press in January 2021:

“All of the NBA players are important, because they’re legends, but he’s particularly important to us because he knew Italy so well, having lived in several cities here. He had a lot of Italian qualities.”

“He spoke Italian very well. He even knew the local slang.”

That part of his connection to Italy started in childhood and continued to play an important role throughout his NBA career. He was remembered for helping Italian players integrate into the NBA and was constantly talking about his desire to get back to Italy whenever possible, as per Italian Sons and Daughters of America.

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Kobe Bryant death

Kobe Bryant died on January 26, 2020. He was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. He was 41 years old at the time of the accident. His daughter, Gianna Bryant, was 13 years old when she died with seven others in the accident on board the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter.

That morning, the helicopter left John Wayne Airport for Camarillo Airport to head to Bryant's Mamba Sports Academy for a girls' basketball tournament. The weather was bad, with heavy fog and low visibility.

Even with these challenges, the pilot made a series of bad decisions that had the ultimate effect of crashing into the hillside. The National Transportation Safety Board later concluded that the pilot flew into cloud cover, got disoriented, and lost control of the aircraft.

It occurred at approximately 9:06 am PST. All nine people on board were killed instantly when the helicopter hit the ground, and it caught fire shortly after crashing. The main wreckage was located about 127 feet from the point of impact.