Kobe Bryant’s daughter Natalia reveals why she chose volleyball over basketball
Natalia Bryant chooses volleyball over basketball
Natalia, the eldest among four daughters of Kobe Bryant and wife Vanessa, revealed in an interview with Teen Vogue why she did not pursue basketball despite having a Hall-of-Famer father: she hates running. However, the athletic genes did not go to waste as Natalia focused on playing volleyball in high school. She was good enough to make the varsity team.
Standing at almost six feet tall, fans cannot help but heave a collective sigh when Kobe’s eldest did not pursue basketball. She has the height for it, and The Mamba would have done everything in his capacity to provide guidance and support. Instead, the love for playing basketball went to Gigi, Kobe’s second eldest daughter among four siblings. The feeling of sadness doubled when Gigi passed on after a helicopter accident happened in 2020. Kobe was with her until the final moments. The tragedy did not only take Kobe and Gigi but the dream of millions of fans to see a Kobe protege take on the court in the future as well.
For Natalia, whose full name is Natalia Diamante Bryant, her love for volleyball started in 2012. She played in the position of middle blocker. Vanessa was the one who prodded her shy daughter to take the sport.
But everything changed after the passing of Kobe. It was just too much for Natalia, and she decided to quit volleyball for good. Kobe Bryant would have been proud of her no matter what she chooses in life. After all, Kobe became a model for them. He pursued other interests outside the sports after he retired. And just like when he was still playing, Kobe became successful in movie production, business, and training other players.
Life goes on for the Bryant family
Life goes on for the Bryant family, no matter how difficult things are. Vanessa still has three daughters who will rely on her strength and love to continue living despite missing their father. For Natalia, it seems like she just started exploring the world outside the shadow of her father.
It would be interesting if Kobe’s youngest Capri would go on and take an interest in playing basketball. For everyone in the basketball world, it was gone too soon for Kobe and Gigi. More than a year has passed, but the pain still lingers. Fans and friends take comfort that even though Kobe has already passed on, his legacy as a player and father still lives with his wife and children.
