Kobe Bryant knew the media whirlwind that has swirled around him would turn into a tornado at the Garden. And before last night’s Knick game, in a circus atmosphere that was at some points poignant and at others pitiful, he talked openly about reaching his breaking point.
Bryant is accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman on June 30 at a Colorado hotel. Yesterday, standing in the corner of the Laker locker room packed with reporters, the besieged star spoke about being at the proverbial end of his rope, and what carried him through.
“Faith. I have my good days; I have my bad days,” Bryant said. “I mean, when you go through something like I’m going through, everybody has their drama, everybody has something they go through. At different levels, everybody reaches a breaking point . . . and I’ve been there.”
Clearly, there have been – and will continue to be – down times.
“Oh yeah [I’ve reached that point],” Bryant said. When asked how he got by them, he responded “Faith. There’s no other way through those but faith in God. That’s the only place you have to put it; put it in His hands and let Him carry you. You can’t carry this yourself; the burden is too much, too heavy.”
Colorado law requires anyone charged with a sex crime to be tested for HIV if the suspect is ordered to stand trial after a preliminary hearing. He faces four years-to-life if convicted or 20-to-life probation. Still, he says the worrying isn’t the worst part.
“It’s people talking about my family when they have nothing to do with my situation, dragging them into this, and saying false things about them,” Bryant said. “That really [ticks] you off. Then obvious things I won’t get into, but it’s a combination of everything.”
Despite getting booed regularly on the road, somehow he’s managed to play well – averaging 22 ppg away from Staples Center – and retain a sense of humor. When asked about the hostile road environment, he quipped about an argument between media members, saying “I heard it was pretty hostile in here a few minutes ago.
“I go in expecting the worst. Some arenas have been great, some have been not so great. There’s nothing I can do about it, we just go out and play the games, and whatever happens, happens. I can’t change that. I can’t affect that. I just do what I do. I just expect it and keep my mind focused on the game.”
When asked what message he might give to a youngster coming into the NBA like LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, he said, “Just be yourself. Nobody’s perfect, everybody’s going to make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes. Nobody’s perfect; don’t expect yourself to be.
“The only thing you can do is live your life to the best of your ability, try to be a good human being. And maximize the blessing that God has given you.”
