In his poem titled "Dear Basketball", Bryant wrote that he fell in love with the game at age six; "A love so deep I gave you my all/From my mind & body/To my spirit & soul."
Dalam puisinya "Dear Basketball", Bryant menulis ia cinta dengan basket sejak umur 6 tahun; "Cinta yang sungguh dalam hingga aku memberi semuanya/Dari pikiran & tubuhku/hingga semangat & jiwaku."