Despite his struggles with his shooting percentage this season, the two time finals MVP announced to the Associated Press last Monday his interest to be part of the USA Basketball squad which will be sent for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Kobe Bryant stated that being part of the US team this coming Olympic tournament means a lot for him despite the alleged refusal of previous invitation. Bryant stated via NBA that;
"It would mean the world to me to be around those guys. I think to be able to have a chance to continue the relationship that I already have with most of those guys, talking and just kind of being around each other and understanding that this is it, it's just us being together, that would be fun. He then added that, "I would like to play," Bryant said. "I think it'd be awesome. A beautiful experience. I'm a global kid. I grew up in Italy, I know a lot of athletes from different parts of the world, from different sports. It'd be great to play in that environment."
This eagerness of the Black Mamba to take part of a basketball campaign is indeed a positive sign that he is slowly conquering his anxiety or fury over his lack of performance the previous Lakers game. It can be remembered that Bryant criticized himself, then ranking his performance the 200th-best player in the NBA, even admitting to the press that he "freaking suck."
Bryant, who is now 37, would surely be a great impact in the US Olympic Basketball team, it may not be on the offensive end, but his presence and leadership would surely make a difference. Bryant even explained via NBA on how he may add value to the team. He stated that;
"How I feel now is that I feel like I can add value from a leadership perspective and a defensive perspective," Bryant said. "I can still move extremely well defensively."
Amidst the rumors of Bryant's retirement next year, one cannot but help to speculate that this interest for the upcoming 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics somehow suggest a great symbolism for his impending retirement. If indeed Bryant would be included in the US Olympic basketball team, and if by chance they win another gold medal, then it would be another record for Kobe. He would then end his basketball career as one of "the first US men to win U.S. men to win Olympic basketball gold three times, said NBA."
If indeed this would be the last Olympic game of Bryant before his retirement, as rumors would suggest, then it would surely be an interesting game to watch, especially that he would bringing the name of his country on the said tournament.
