(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Before head coach Mike Krzyzewski put together a team filled with superstars to get Team USA men’s basketball back on track in 2008, the United States had a rough stretch on the international stage, as the country was no longer the team to beat when it came to basketball.
All that changed when Coach K brought in Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, who brought a different kind of mentality, toughness, and willingness to go all-in on the defensive end of the basketball floor.
Bryant’s work ethic was on another level in comparison to the other players on Team USA, as his early-morning workouts were legendary and how hard he worked was marveled at by his peers and coaches.
After Bryant joined the team, there was no looking back for Team USA, with the five-time NBA champion helping lead Team USA to a perfect record of 36-0, via NBA on ESPN.
Kobe Bryant never lost a game with Team USA pic.twitter.com/U5CLEWxRlW
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) August 10, 2023
Clearly, Bryant made a huge impact on Team USA, and as a result, the Redeem Team, as they were called, went on to win three gold medals, with the Lakers superstar leading the way for Coach K and company.
Along with coming out on top in 2007 in the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas, Bryant was part of Team USA in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2012 Olympics in London.
As if Bryant’s five titles in the NBA weren’t impressive enough, along with the distinction as one of the greatest NBA players of all time, he was also an international star, leaving his mark around the world.
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