Only one player with the first name Kobe has evolved in the NBA. And it is obviously Kobe Bryant.
It must be said that the first name was extremely rare before the mid-1990s. And the parents of the “Black Mamba” called it that when they saw the term (Kobe beef) on the menu of their favorite Japanese restaurant…
Nevertheless, after the arrival of the “Black Mamba” in the NBA, the first name quickly became popular in the United States, with up to 1,552 small and small “Kobes” born in 2001. And if the popularity of the first name fell from 2004, it rose again following the death of the former Laker, with another 1,508 children named “Kobe” who were born in 2020 and 844 last year.
And among the wave of Kobe born in the early 2000s, there are Kobe Bufkin and Kobe Brown, who will play in the NBA next season. The first was drafted by the Hawks (15th) when the second was chosen by the Clippers (30th).
A work ethic linked to the first name
They will therefore be the first Kobe in the Great League since the “Black Mamba”…
“It means a lot” explains Kobe Brown. “I feel like there’s a target behind me. Many people, when they hear the name Kobe, think of Kobe Bryant. It is obvious that I am not him, far from it. But I try to keep that motivation and play as hard as I can, like he did. »
For Kobe Bufkin, the first name has certain consequences.
“It has never affected me too much when it comes to playing basketball”assures the former Michigan. “I try not to think about it too much on the pitch. But it is obvious that this name implies a certain work ethic, which we must try to match. And it is very difficult. If I manage to do half of it, it will already be good. »
The Atlanta point guard/guard acknowledges that his first name is the visible mark of Kobe Bryant’s impact.
“It shows how much he inspired several generations. I was kind of part of the first generation that followed him, and it’s crazy that our parents had the will to give us his name. »
For the record, the other Clippers rookie is named Jordan (Miller)…
2023-07-13 14:59:41
#Kobes #coming #NBA
