By Yiannis Bouranis/ info@eurohoops.net
The team in which Kobe Bryant’s father, Joe, played in the 1986-87 season, sent the Los Angeles Lakers‘ superstar an emotional letter, in which an official job offer was “included”.
According to an exclusive report from TMZ, Reggio Calabria sent a letter to Kobe Bryant in order to convince him to postpone his retirement in order to come and play in the country, where he spent some of his childhood years. Joe “Jellybean” Bryant played for the Italian club in the season 1986-87, making some impressive performances and scoring 69 points in one of the matches he played! As a matter of fact, in its effort to persuade Bryant to play for Reggio Calabria, the Italian team sent him a picture, where Bryant wore the squad’s jersey, when he was eight years old.
Among other things, the Italian club’s letter mentions: “Dear child of Reggio Calabria, fantastic Kobe, in this beautiful country, that loves you very much, we close our eyes and dream. There will always be a home for you in our club. Our dream might be too big, but maybe it is the same dream you unknowingly had as that 8-year-old boy in the picture. We want you to come home, to wear our colours, to represent our city, just as your father did before you. There is a black and orange family that is waiting for you, with the same name on the back: ‘Bryant.’ A warm hug, dear Kobe, our great basketball legend.”
