A video of Kobe Bryant’s childhood friend criticizing the late Los Angeles Lakers legend has made the rounds recently. The man in question, Kevin Sanchez, accused Bryant of not being there for him when he needed help, even going as far as to say that the hoopster treated his family similarly.
Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young responded to a social media post of the video, subtly calling Sanchez a clown and describing the allegations as “BS.”
Nahh 🤡 we don’t do Kobe slander. Why even post this bs?
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) July 18, 2024
A quick background on the accusations
The viral video was actually recorded and published in April. But for some reason, it made rounds again on X (formerly Twitter). Perhaps the passing of Bryant’s father had something to do with it.
According to Sanchez, Bryant’s cousin even called the five-time NBA champion a “certified piece of s—.” Sanchez also said that he wasn’t looking for handouts, money or anything for free, and instead asked Bryant for an opportunity to earn a living.
Sanchez said he was given a contact number, but when he called, it turned out to be Bryant’s assistant on the other end. He then said that he was unable to get in touch with “Bean” directly.
Kobe Bryant's childhood friend says Kobe wasn't a good person and he didn't help his own family and friends at all 😳
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) July 18, 2024
“His cousin came to me, he said, ‘Kev, Ima tell you something about this guy: Dude is a certified piece of s—.’ The man never did nothing for nobody in his family. He got a $500 million empire. His sisters was working regular jobs. You see his mom and ’em gotta f—— sell memorabilia and s—.”
As many people are aware of, the “Black Mamba” had a strained relationship with his parents, who disapproved of his relationship and eventual marriage to Vanessa Bryant.
A polarizing figure
Despite being one of the best ever to play the sport, Bryant had a divisive reputation around the NBA, especially during the earlier part of his career. His feuds with former Lakers teammates, including Shaquille O’Neal, and seemingly being uncoachable rubbed some folks the wrong way.
However, over time, Bryant earned the praise and adoration of a lot of people, including many of the next generation of players. Young is just one of those who idolize the 18-time All-Star. Other notable stars who share the same sentiment include Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker and DeMar DeRozan.
