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Vanessa Bryant was grateful for Klay Thompson’s support in the ESPY Awards. The awards show recognizes athletic achievement and gave Thomspon this year’s Best Comeback Award. In his acceptance speech, Thompson called out Kobe Bryant and his family, thanking them for the inspiration.
Thompson has had a tough year, plagued by injuries and slowdowns. After a lengthy rehabilitation process, he returned to the court and helped the Golden State Warriors win their fourth NBA championship in eight years. Thompson mentioned Kobe Bryant as one of his sources of inspiration during his laborious rehabilitation process.
“Lastly, I would like to thank the Bryant family. I don’t know if Vanessa is out there watching but… to Vanessa and her three beautiful girls, we think of Kobe and Gigi every day and I read “Mamba Mentality” every day during rehab. Those are the best memories of my life, watching him play. He inspired me to be the athlete that I am today,” said Thompson.
Vanessa shared a part of Thompson’s speech and wrote a thankful message on her Instagram. ”You’re a class act,” she wrote. “Thank you for your support and love for Kobe, my Gigi, and our family. Thank you for always including my Gigi when you think of Kob. Congratulations.”
“The Mamba Mentality” is a book written by Kobe Bryant, where he shares details on his life and exceptional career. The book includes passages that detail his prep for each and every game and has been quoted by many basketball players as a source of learning and inspiration.
Vanessa Bryant is constantly remembering her late husband and daughter. She often shares posts on important dates and celebrates their lives whenever she can. Earlier this month, Bryant took her daughters on a trip to Italy, where they stopped by Reggio Calabria, a city where Kobe spent some of his childhood.
Kobe Bryant lived in Italy for seven years before pursuing his career as a basketball player, remembering the town as the place where he learned how to play basketball and speak Italian.