Flamboyant Bryant

If you ask Coach Kobe how often does his The Mamba 2024 AAU team practice, he’d reply “what you mean, man? . . . ”

Kobe played 17 years for the Los Angeles Lakers before he retired in 2015.

His daughter is Gianna Bryant, a talented student athlete in the class of 2024. Her friends call her GiGi, and she’s taken the country by storm. 

Kobe has built The Mamba Sports Facility — where he teaches “all the basics.”  

Coach Kobe also coaches The Mamba 2024 AAU team.

Recently, they captured the ninth-grade division at the Ballin’ in the Fall tournament.

Last week, they played at The Map in California, where their “rebounding, footwork, ball handling, cutting, moving off the ball and boxing out” were on full display.

And Coach Kobe was in the huddle.

GiGi appears capable on both ends of the court. Kobe says it takes “patients.” 

Then again, “they’re only 12 years old… let them develop and let them grow.”

How many days does his team practice?

“7 days a week.”

A team mom added, “sometimes two times a day.”

Kobe approaches basketball development one step at a time.

“I have my players for high school, so I have a 6 year plan.”

What does this mean? “I train in increments.”

Increments? “Piece by piece by piece.”

Before Kobe stepped in, he says, “they could barely dribble or shoot… They’ve gotten a lot better in 10 months.”

So how often does Kobe’s team really practice?

“We practice every day and night.”