Feb 4, 2020
Bigger Than Basketball
For The Wall Street Journal’s Future View about the legacy Kobe Bryant left behind.
A torn notebook page crumbled into a ball in my right palm, I flicked my wrist toward the bin and — whispering “Kobe!” — flawlessly made the shot as my fellow classmates quietly chuckled, and my English teacher failed to notice. Perfect 3-pointer.
It’s often said that sports have the power to break down barriers, but what does that mean? Well, perhaps I can explain. After immigrating from Vietnam with a limited vocabulary but an enthusiasm for new, enriching experiences, it was discussing basketball and Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers that gave me an outlet to meet new people and make a seamless transition into American society.
It was the simple yet meaningful bonds forged while watching Bryant thrash the Los Angeles Clippers that laid the groundwork for the unlikely friendship between a scrawny Vietnamese boy and a group of suburban American teens. From there I’ve been able to build, connecting with people over shared interests and ideas, often far beyond basketball.
More than a sports and cultural icon, Kobe was for me the puzzle piece that connected my childhood in Vietnam to my future in America. For that, I am extremely grateful.
Originally published at www.wsj.com on February 4, 2020.
