Kobe Adored In The Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — More than 11,000 kilometres from home, fans were chanting his name, and Kobe Bryant was loving it.

No controversy. No tough questions. In the basketball-loving Philippines, no one was going to ruffle the feathers of a charismatic icon visiting to promote the sport, encourage kids to pursue their dreams and maybe sell a few pairs of his new line of shoes.

"I love Manila," a beaming Bryant told a crowd that started gathering at 6 a.m. outside a store in Manila, nine hours before he appeared. "The energy here is off the charts."

Bryant, fresh off a gold medal at the FIBA Americas championship, kicked off his five-stop Asian tour Wednesday.

A lot has happened to Bryant since his first trip to Manila a decade ago — three NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and a rape case that was eventually dismissed but left many wondering if he would ever successfully polish the tarnish off his star.

The Manila public provided the answer. He was even touted as a role model for children, a tag that he didn't try to avoid.

"The important thing to remember when people talk about role models, they assume role models are perfect," Bryant said. "Nobody's perfect."

The key, he said, is not to duplicate mistakes, and to try to give back to the community with charity and efforts to spread the sport.

Bryant was still basking in the success of the U.S. basketball team, which earned favourable comparisons with the first two "Dream Teams" put together after professionals were allowed to compete at the Olympics.

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source : globesports.com