By Ian Chew

Singapore Indoor Stadium, Wednesday, July 22, 2009 – It was a special night in more ways than one for the 8,500 fans crammed into the stadium, as they also got to hear what drives the player that recently won the 2009 National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award and led his Los Angeles Lakers team to the coveted NBA title.

Yet it was especially a moment to remember for the 20 youths as they got to rub shoulders with the NBA star during a special basketball clinic conducted for them.

Said Jabez Su, the Singapore Asian Youth Games captain and self-professed Lebron James fan: “It was a great privilege to see in person, more so to learn what his motivations for winning are.”

Kobe did not disappoint.

“Every time I am tempted to cheat during training, I think of the Boston Celtics and my arms go straight up again,” said Kobe Bryant when admonishing Lin Cheng Yu to persevere during one defensive drill. Boston Celtics was the NBA team that denied the LA Lakers in the 2008 finals.

Later he again showed his serious no-nonsense attitude towards training when he made AYG player Russel Low repeat his 17-laps sprint drill. Russel had lost count of his earlier 17-lap runs and was made to struggle through another 17 laps!

“Not that I’m being mean, but you’ve got to go to the limit of your physical capabilities, then you can discover what drives you during those moments,” he explained later for his severe actions.

One can tell his mind seldom veers far away from his beloved game of basketball when he revealed that he received the inspiration for another dribbling move while watching TV.

“I was watching Discovery Channel with my family when I observed the movement of the snake,” he told the audience when demonstrating his left-to-right dribbling manouvre. Richard Neo, an ex-Woodlands Ring Sec player was selected to receive a one-to-one lesson with the star.

He also revealed his crowd pleasing moves when he also threw basketballs to the adoring fans and took off his autographed sneakers for a young fan.

An interesting and unusual incident did take place though when an overzealous fan tried to hug Kobe Bryant in mid-court. The Chinese guy was however, quickly whisked away by the security and Kobe, to his credit, continued as if nothing has happened.

Hopefully, the thousands of basketball enthusiasts in Singapore will imbue Kobe Bryant’s work ethic as they strive for improvements in their game. This will undoubtably elevate the standards of local basketball!

See highlights of Kobe Bryant’s clinic with the 20 lads:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkhMIlCh9o0

See how Russel had to repeat his 17-lap sprint drill:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjWV5MALU3U

See Kobe Bryant demonstrating his “snake-like” dribbling moves:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVmQ_zsgnLY

See unusual incident of fan trying to grab Kobe:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY2fRgfzhQ0