Kobe Bryant put together his first scouting tape as a nine-year-old: "I had to wait for the tapes. I used to wait for the mail guy to drop them off"

Yahoo

25-05-2025

The late Kobe Bryant was much more than an incredible athlete — he was a true student of basketball. While most fans remember his legendary moments on the court, not everyone realizes how his deep understanding of the game set him apart from even the greatest players.
Of course, his sharp basketball mind didn't just appear overnight. So, where did it all begin?
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As Roland Lazenby explains in "Showboat: The Life of Kobe Bryant," Kobe's early years in Italy played a key role in his development. Removed from the American basketball scene, the future Hall of Famer — still just a kid at the time — spent countless hours watching game footage, analyzing plays and studying NBA stars with an almost scientific focus.
"It was the beginning of a career-long focus on studying game recordings, normally the domain of the Xs and Os wonks who serve as assistant coaches," wrote Lazenby.
From Philly to Italy
When Kobe was just six years old, his life took a sharp turn. His family left the United States and relocated to Italy.
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This move was due to his father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, deciding to continue his basketball career in Europe after several seasons in the league, playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets.
Joe, a towering 6'9" power forward and former NBA draft pick from 1975, signed with multiple Italian teams over the years, which meant the family frequently moved to follow his contracts.
Their journey began in the quiet town of Rieti, where they lived for two years before moving to other Italian cities as Joe's career took him to AMG Sebastiani Rieti, Reggio Calabria, Pistoia and Reggiana.
Although far from home, the Bryants stayed closely connected to American culture — thanks to Kobe's grandparents, who regularly sent VHS tapes filled with NBA highlights, American TV shows and family comedies like NBC's "The Cosby Show."
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It's easy to guess what type of content the family's only son enjoyed most.
"What I looked most forward to getting was the basketball games," remembered the "Black Mamba."
Kobe waited by the mailbox for NBA tapes
Many might wonder why Bryant didn't simply watch the games live on TV. The main challenge was the significant time difference between Europe and the U.S., which meant that games often aired very late at night, sometimes well past midnight.
This is a common problem for NBA fans all around Europe, but it's especially tough for kids who have school the next day — just like Kobe did back then.
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"I had to stay up to three in the morning to see these games, and I had school the next day. That wasn't happening," remembered the five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Instead, he relied on taped recordings sent to him by his grandparents. Each season, Kobe's collection grew to nearly forty tapes, which became his lifeline to the NBA and something he eagerly awaited with every new delivery.
"I had to wait for the tapes. I used to wait for the mail guy to drop them off all the time," recounted the 2008 Most Valuable Player.
Related: Coach Isiah Thomas surprisingly praised Michael Jordan while comparing him to Kobe Bryant: "I don't know if there's really been anyone else"
Basketball analysis
Kobe's passion for the game was obvious, but just as important was his father, who helped him move beyond just playing and start analyzing every detail of the game.
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After subscribing to a service that sent them game videos directly, Joe — who already had deep basketball knowledge from his own high-level career — and his son really started to dig in.
According to Lazenby, they watched NBA tapes together, not just for fun but to learn. They would pause, rewind and slow down the action to study footwork, spacing, timing and defensive moves. "Jellybean" pointed out details that most people missed. And when his dad was away, Kobe kept going on his own.
"When Joe was away, Kobe pursued his studies alone, virtually memorizing entire sequences, especially those that revealed player tendencies. By age nine, he had put together his first scouting tape, a look at relatively obscure Hawks guard John Battle," wrote the 73-year-old.
Studying the all-time greats
Throughout all the game analyses by Joe and Kobe, one player stood out: Magic Johnson.
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The 6'9" point guard was at the heart of the Lakers "Showtime era." Watching his and his dad's favorite player, a young Kobe sat glued to the family TV, replaying Magic's passes and playmaking over and over again.
But it didn't stop there. As Bryant later recalled, his obsession also extended to legends like Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins — all dominant figures of that era who went on to become all-time greats.
Kobe didn't just watch their moves — he studied them and added them to his own game. This approach brought him great success and, more importantly, deepened his understanding of basketball down to the finest detail.
The iconic 6'6" swingman showed this sharp feel for the game not only during his legendary 20 seasons with the Purple and Gold but also long after his playing days.
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A perfect example is "Detail," his film breakdown series on ESPN+, launched in 2018. Until Bryant's tragic death in late January 2020, each episode featured his high-level analysis as he broke down games and individual performances from the NBA, WNBA, and college basketball.
Related: Kobe Bryant on how he crafted his "Detail" episodes: "I typically pick a player who I believe is going to have some serious challenges"