When Kobe Bryant chose Novak Djokovic ahead of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer
Novak Djokovic has been headlining tennis-related discussions lately, with the Serbian on course to miss the US Open, which begins on August 29.
That aside, he's also been the topic of conversation after an interview involving the late American basketball star Kobe Bryant began doing the rounds on social media. In the video, the five-time NBA champion picked the Serb when asked to choose his favorite from the members of the Big 3 - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.
In the interview, which aired on ESPN, the 18-time All-Star pick referred to the Big 3 of the tennis world as the "holy trinity of tennis" and said he has had a "relationship for a long time" with Djokovic.
"Well, Novak's my guy. We have a relationship. We've had a relationship for a long time," asserted Kobe Bryant.
Over the course of the interview, Bryant also revealed that Roger Federer once sent him a tennis racquet.
"Federer sent me a racquet when he heard I was playing," Bryant revealed.
"We talked about it for a while" - Kobe Bryant on discussions with Novak Djokovic about coping with advancing age
Kobe Bryant also disclosed that he and Novak Djokovic once had a discussion that revolved around understanding how athletes need to cope physically with advancing age. He dwelt at length on how older players need to study opponents to understand their game and nullify their advantage during a contest.
"Well, there is a lot of preparation involved in that and studying the game. Especially when you are playing against players who are quicker and younger, you've got to study them to understand what those tendencies are so you can put yourself in those positions before that shot ever comes" Bryant explained.
"So, it's a lot of preparation. Me and Novak talked about it a lot, quite at length, as he was going through a process of 'physically, I am not what I used to be, so how did you adjust and change your game?' We talked about it for a while and having the acceptance of an athlete to say I'm not what I used to be," he added.
The Serb, who was playing the 2020 Australian Open when Bryant was involved in the fatal crash, described the American great as a "mentor" during an on-court interview after his quarterfinal victory against Milos Raonic.
"He was there for me"
@DjokerNole pays tribute to his late friend and mentor Kobe Bryant.
#AO2020 | #AusOpen https://t.co/k8sRHcBATw
“He was one of the greatest athletes of all time, he inspired myself and many other people around the world. I had the fortune to have a personal relationship with him over the past 10 years. When I needed some advice and some support, he was there for me. He was my mentor, my friend and it’s just heartbreaking to see and to hear what has happened to him and his daughter,” the visibly distraught Serb said.
August 24 is celebrated as Kobe Bryant Day because of the numbers on the sporting legend's jerseys which were 8 and 24.