1FEB

2009www.postphx.com

PHX

Game Over. Game On. February 2009

A ReAl HigHligHt Reel

CBS 5 Sports Anchor Gary Cruz

Plus// Coyotes players’ wives// Harlem Globetrotters// Suns Coach Bill Cartwright// After School All-Star’s

Magic CARD-pet ride – POST salutes the Cardinals’ Super Bowl run!

Royce RollsRoyce Youree was an

ASU basketball star – 65 years ago!

‘i Am Not A Rook’ASU football player Mike Nixon is 26 years old

RoAd scHolARA Galaxy of NBA All-Stars are coming to Phoenix – led by kobe Bryant

All StAr.

All Over

the WOrld.

All the

time. By

ZAck SimOn

Photos by

trAcY rASinSki

Kobe Bryant is known in every corner of the world, has the credibility of being a champion, and shines above all the other marquee showstoppers in the NBA. Part of the reason is because of his charisma and talent, and part is because of the great and impactful things he does off the court.

For a the behind-the-scenes look at the Kobe Bryant cover shoot--- go to www.postphx.comN

Kobe Bryant FEBRUARY 2009

i

72MAY2009 www.postphx.com

As entertaining as it is watching one of the top five players of all time dunk a basketball in the face of a defender with as much business trying to interfere with his flight plan as a paper airplane getting in the airspace of a stealth bomber, entertaining millions of people

with off-the-chart athletic skills doesn’t directly help kids who need help.

Being involved in a program like After School All-Stars, where he can directly impact thousands of kids’ lives and literally make them better, does. www.afterschoolallstars.org And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what separates an iconic superstar with global recognition, appeal and adoration from just another professional athlete who cashes a check every other week and plays a game for a living. Kobe Bryant leads the cavalcade of NBA All-Stars into the Valley in February for the All-Star Game and all the festivities that make the event one of the marquee weekends of the entire year. Every one of the mini-corporations in high tops contributes to their community in a powerful way. But there isn’t any that carry the cachet of Kobe, whose mere presence at an event guarantees its success. Whose attachment to anything charitable ensures it will instantly have a chance to make people’s lives better. He’s that popular, that powerful, and that committed to helping causes, specifically those that benefit children. Which is where After School All-Stars comes in. Every day in the United States, as many as 15 million children leave school with no place to go. And every day, many of these at-risk youth are involved in crimes, join gangs, or experiment with drugs, alcohol or sex.

After School All-Stars offers a proven alternative for these children, engaging them in activities and ongoing relationships that increase confidence and encourage success in all areas of their lives — at home, in school and in the community.

“First of all, it’s just an incredible program,” Kobe told POST. “What they do for our youth is truly amazing because it exposes them to a myriad of options that otherwise they wouldn’t be exposed to. On top of the fact that it keeps them off of the streets in a critical time. Three to six o’clock is a time

Kobe Bryant FEBRUARY 2009

i

75MAY2009www.postphx.com

when kids are more prone to get into trouble. During that time, [with After School All-Stars] they’re busy doing activities and exposing themselves to finding something that they really love to do. And that maybe carries above and beyond middle school or high school.”

It’s not an exaggeration to say Kobe Bryant is the most popular athlete in the world. If that comes as a shock to you, Mr. David Beckham, well, we’re sorry. Go buy your wife another Hermes purse. If you’re having a hard time coming to terms with that fact, Tom Brady, go wipe your tears with one of Bill Belichick’s hoodies. That fact was pretty much sealed this past summer in China. The US Olympic basketball team was loaded with A-list players, but ask anyone that was there who drew the biggest crowds, caused the biggest scenes when he ventured out in public, and signed the most autographs — it was Kobe. By a landslide. He was popular not only among the throngs of crowds in Beijing, but he was like a rock star among other athletes in other sports as well.

“It was more than I ever expected,” Kobe told POST after his photo shoot for us in LA. “I have been to China many times, but this time was different. For some reason it catapulted to another level. It was enjoyable for me to see, because it means you’re doing something right, when you have the opportunity to influence even more people in a positive way, which is always cool.”

Kobe not only came back from China with a gold medal, but a lot of solid friendships. First of all, as you can only imagine, the bond he formed with his basketball teammates is strong, even right now as he competes against them nightly. “Yeah, we stay in touch all of the time. We are constantly communicating with each other especially if someone has a big game. Or for instance, like when [Milwaukee Bucks guard] Michael Redd hurt his knee. I texted him and asked him how he was doing, asked him if there was anything he needed, that sort of thing. We stay in touch with each other all of the time, but then again, the battle stays the same. We play as hard as we can against each other and try to beat each other, but what changes is our friendship, because now you have a relationship with one another, so it kind of goes above and beyond the game itself.”

If there was any other athlete who dealt with the same type of spotlight glare and fan adulation in China, it was Michael Phelps. The stories are legendary, of Kobe attending the swim races and cheering Phelps on. But what really forged their relationship is the time they spent in front of some different cameras. Filming the commercial you’ve probably seen for Guitar Hero World Tour. “That was the last time I talked to Michael, when we were doing the shoot for the commercial.”

If you haven’t seen it — get to youtube, ASAP, and check it out. It’s classic, it connected with fans on a deep level, and outside of basketball, it’s probably the thing that people want to talk to Kobe

about the most. “It’s been huge,” Kobe told POST. “The feedback kind of

came out of left field. It caught a lot of people by surprise.”In the spot, Kobe plays Tom Cruise’s role

from the movie Risky Business, as he lip-synchs to the classic rock song Old Time Rock and Roll. If you’re wondering how many takes it took to nail the scene, well, so were we.

“Pretty much one take. It was just fun, and we nailed it, and I nailed it. They said, ‘Let’s try something different, let’s have fun with it, we have time,’ and it all worked.”

Kobe’s popularity right now is as high as it’s ever been. Need some proof? Well, how about this: the NBA announced just days ago that Kobe’s jersey is the biggest seller worldwide. Even in Phoenix, you see his fans come out in droves when the Lakers play the Suns. You’ll see them all over town the middle of the month when Kobe comes to the Valley to play a game that’s a little less stressful than battling against the Suns.

“I am looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun. It’s gonna be a great game,” Kobe said.

He’s played in so many All-Star Games that you’d think it would be hard to keep things interesting and fresh for him. But Kobe is not your typical player. No one in the NBA loves to play basketball more than he does. And no player understands the stage like he does. Which is why he’s been the MVP of the game multiple times. His skills, personality, and love of the game are so unique and special. Part of it comes from his background, the fact he spent a great deal of his youth in Italy, growing up there while his father played professional basketball in Europe. And now that Kobe has two little girls of his own, he and his wife make a point of providing them the same type of multicultural experience. “It’s very important. Our kids have already been overseas several times. They’ve been to Italy, to France, they’ve really been all over. I think it’s important for our youth to see that there are a variety of options out there for them. It’s not just here in the United States or just in the city you live in. The world is a blank canvas.”

It’s that type of worldliness and maturity that make him, until proven otherwise, the biggest star in the NBA. It’s why being involved in an organization like After School All-Stars is so important to him. Why he’s so actively involved, and why he never hesitates to provide his valuable time and lend his globally recognized name to such a great cause. “For me, it’s all about spreading the message. I think now with the position that I’m in, I see it as an opportunity to help to spread the word, and spread the message, and get a great cause like After School All-Stars out there, because it’s important for people to know about this cause. And we’re hoping to continue to expand, and open other chapters, and help a wider number of people.”

So, sure, the Lakers are the Suns’ number-one rival, but since the All-Star Game is just an exhibition, enjoy it for what it is. A blank canvas that Kobe can paint another masterpiece on.

Kobe Bryant FEBRUARY 2009

i