Kobe Bryant Character Traits Essay

In the film Hoop Dreams (1994), the socialization into sport model established by Pooley can be applied to protagonist William Gates. By analyzing his upbringing, altered by role models and other influences, William’s socialization into the world of basketball is better understood. The process of being immersed into basketball was also evident in the early years of NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

Upon being introduced to basketball, it was clear that William Gates had found his passion. The process of William’s socialization into basketball can be in large part attributed to his role models and influences at the time of his upbringing. A key influence on William’s socialization is his older brother Curtis, a previous high school basketball player who

Like William, Kobe’s socialization into basketball was a product of both his environment and the influences that surrounded him at a young age. One of Kobe’s greatest childhood influences was his father Joe Bryant, an active professional basketball in the NBA. Joe’s status as an NBA player allowed Kobe to observe many of his father’s games, and gave him the opportunity to develop his skills in an NBA facility. Kobe spent many years of his childhood in Italy, where his father played professional basketball after his NBA stint. Despite the departure, Kobe remained connected to basketball, as his grandfather would mail footage of NBA games. Bryant has cited several NBA hall of famers as his role models, all of them contributing to his growing knowledge and love for basketball. These NBA greats had a valuable impact on Bryant, who incorporated many of their skills into his own game. This was recognisable during Kobe’s NBA career, where he adapted and perfected his idol Michael Jordan’s signature ‘fade away’, as well as Hakeem Olajuwon’s trademark ‘dream shake’. In summary, one can study Kobe Bryant’s socialization into basketball by examining the prominent figures surrounding him in his childhood, as well as the role models whom he used to fuel his knowledge, skill, and interest in the