3 Years After Kobe Bryant’s Death, Naomi Osaka Pays a Touching Ode as She Gets Real About Bravery in Its Truest Sense Before Making Tennis Comeback

Naomi Osaka has had her battles, ranging from those on the court to the ones she faced in her head. However, in the face of it all, she has always stood bravely. Where does this resilience stem from? Some from her lineage and some from her idol, basketball legend Kobe Bryant. The world misses the late NBA legend, and so does Osaka. However, she has decided to pick the best from it all.

New mother Naomi Osaka recently welcomed her baby girl, Shai, with her boyfriend Cordae. She has named her after her Japanese lineage, ‘Shai’ which means ‘gratitude’. However, deep in her heart, like Kobe Bryant, she has always remembered her Haitian lineage, which she has inherited from her father.

Naomi Osaka on lessons picked up from her Haitian lineage and Kobe Bryant

Numerous analysts and players have questioned Osaka’s firm stand on her mental wellbeing. Being a sport where balancing pressure both on and off the court is mandatory, Osaka chose to focus on herself in 2021. Walking away from the French Open was not an easy decision, however, she courageously put across her point of view and stood up for herself.

No matter the amount of criticism she has received, Osaka has always made a strong comeback. This resilience and courage come from her Hawaiian lineage. In a podcast interview with Mountaintop Conversations, Osaka uncovered it all. She stated, “I kind of have this thing in my head that I say a lot.” Telling her affirmation, she said, “I always tell myself, “You’re Haitian, you’re not supposed to have any fear”.”

This is something that she picked up from her father, who is a proud Haitian. She stated, “It’s because my dad’s always, shouting like 1804, which is the Haitian Revolution. So I say that to myself a lot.” The history of her lineage has kept her rooted in her courage and resilience.

Apart from that, her idol, Kobe Bryant, who stood along with Osaka in her tough times, has always guided her, even after his unfortunate demise. Talking about Kobe Bryant, she stated, “Also, I was lucky enough to interact with Kobe, before he passed.”

The NBA tennis legend was a man of virtue and this inspired a lot of people around him, including Osaka. She stated, “He was always saying stuff about passing it down to the next generation.”

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Consequently, a mix of her father’s lessons and Bryant’s virtues has led Osaka to maintain her courage in testing times. However, that is not the only thing she learned from Bryant.

Osaka on the invaluable lessons she picked up from Bryant

The NBA legend might have bid the world farewell, however, his legacy still lives on. Osaka is one tennis star who continues to follow in his footsteps. In a podcast interview with VS Voices, she talked about the lessons she learned from him. Apart from teaching on how to be calm, she picked up on his resilience. She marveled at his capability to strive harder to be better. This led her to push herself to do more.

Osaka felt a major blow after his sad demise. However, right now, she has inculcated the life lessons she picked up from the LA Lakers legend.

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