Bryant and his family moved to Italy when he was six years old as his father, Joe, opted to play professional basketball there.
“I played a lot of football when I was a boy, and that has helped me perceive a lot of things in relation to basketball,” Bryant said in an interview with FIFA.com.
“It’s different. The football I played as a kid helps me assess angles and situations on the basketball court in a different light,” he explained.
“You think of each separate move as a maneuver involving three players, and not just two, which is what basketball coaches teach you.”
Bryant noted that the atmosphere in basketball and football games were very different, saying, “Passion for football is at another level, without a doubt.”
Bryant watched a Confederations Cup match between Brazil and Italy at the Arena Fonte Nova in Rio De Janeiro, and had a chance to see first-hand how football fans act.
“It’s clear to see the fans arriving at the stadium here today are making a point of demonstrating their allegiance to their team, or country in this case,” he said.
“That only happens now and then in the NBA – in the playoffs and Finals. Football is different. It’s more like a religion,” he added.
“Growing up in Italy gave me first-hand experience of the fans’ intense love of football from an early again, and I can guarantee you – it’s unique.”
Bryant, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in April, has been watching the Confederations Cup in Brazil and recently attended a Nike event along with Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
