Hi All:
Here’s the text from an article from ESPN.com detailing Kobe Bryant’s study of my father’s martial way. Enjoy. Oh, one quick note, we were actually guests of Baron Davis (he was very gracious), and Kobe will not be wearing the Bruce Lee version of his shoe for a couple of games (I will post the exact date of that game when I know for sure).
From ESPN.com:
In addition to soccer, Bryant has also used martial arts to help him on the basketball court. He is an avid Bruce Lee fan and practices the hybrid fighting system and life philosophy that Lee founded in 1967 called Jeet Kune Do or, in English, “The way of the intercepting fist.” It’s an offensive system based on striking first and always visualizing where your opponent will go next. Much like in basketball, there are gestures and half gestures to make your opponents move in Jeet Kune Do, allowing you to hit your opponents on their preparation or intention to hit you.
“The art and the philosophy that [Lee] was in the process of teaching, Jeet Kune Do, is a philosophy that I try to play by,” Bryant said. “It’s an instinctual art. A lot of times in martial arts you have all these rules and regimens and basketball is the same way, everybody is taught these fundamentals, but to me you start from a base and work your way up and the defense has a hard time defending you because they don’t know what you’re doing because you don’t know what you’re doing.”
Bryant is such a fan of Lee that he dedicated one of his shoes to him. The yellow and black color of the shoe are taken from Lee’s jumpsuit in “The Game of Death,” and it has the four blood-red claw marks from Lee’s wounds in “Enter The Dragon” on each side.
“I draw so much inspiration from him and everything that he embodied,” Bryant said of Lee. “The perfection of his craft to me was something that was extremely inspirational. To be able to get to a point where you are so good at your craft that you can actually perform it thoughtlessly is something that’s still a mystery to me but something that I strive for and something that he inspired me to try and strive for.”
No one was happier to hear that Bryant was carrying on the legacy of Lee more than Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, the president of the Bruce Lee Foundation. She was Bryant’s guest at the Lakers-Clippers game last week and was sitting in the front row as he dedicated a shoe in honor of her father.
“It means everything for an athlete of his caliber to say that,” Lee said. “My father was such an amazing athlete and so concerned about all the things Kobe was talking about: footwork, having no mind when you’re out there doing your craft and being in that ready mode. The fact that he sees that and can take that from my father is terrific. He would have been a big fan of his, too.”
Thats why kobe is the best
As for myself I only wear CONVERSE shoes but I will be buying myself (and maybe some for my family members) a pair. Kobe went from being my number 3 favorite player to number 1. He plays for the greatest basketball team ever and is their best player of all times.
Awesume stuff 2 read..very Inspirational..Keep up the Great work Shannon..Kobe,can you please send me front row tickets..bye
Bruce Lee has been an inspiration to me ever since I saw him on TV for the first time. I deply regret that I will never be able to thank him for all that his life taught me. I do my best however to pass on all that I have learned, a little here, and a little there, so that his life and work can continue to influence the world.
THANK YOU Shannon for all you are doing and continuing to provide us with.
D
Here’s more about Kobe’s interest in JKD.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZdY6sCP1ho
bruce lee success influence too many persons surround the world about his spirit,motivation,struggle and his philosophy
Bruce Lee once kicked a football into space..
RNG INTERVIEWS (Famous Contributors to Humanity)
Thanks for that article from ESPN about how KOBE BRYANT is influenced by BRUCE LEE for that winning edge…I knew that months ago from a you tube video…not just Kobe but people from many different proffesions us the BRUCE LEE philosophy!!!
I believe it’s my turn to study JEET KUNE DO…SHANNON do you know a good instructor for me? mabe you?
I study the art of Jeet Kune Do. Like Kobe uses it for sports, I use it for my music. I’m a guitar player, and I believe that playing guitar should be fluid, soft (but firm), and smooth, just like JKD. I even have trouble using a style of playing the guitar, so I use various styles, like JKD simplifies the martial arts. Cool. I wanna see Bruce Lee kick a football into space! That’s cool. I’m gonna buy those shoes. No Bruce Lee fan would go without it!
it is an amazing feeling to know that a well-known basket ball player, Kobe Bryant, is a super fan of Bruce Lee. I am also inspired by Bruce Lee’s philosophy. His theory and philosophy, in fact, could be applied on every aspect of our lives. From his thinking to what he had achieved in his life, he gives us a good example, inspiration, and guide to find our own path, our own style.
i’m a celtics fan, but hey, im beginning to like kobe.
I myself am a fan of Bruce Lee. His martial arts skill is unmatched. You can never see someone like him anymore. I have all the books of Bruce Lee, even Jeet Kune Do. Having an autographed memorabilia of him is a great thing too. Check out his signed cheque at http://www.starworldmemorabilia.com.au/d200-11/bruce-lee-signed-cheque/
This is the first I heard of Kobe being influenced by Bruce Lee. It is amazing how many people continue to feel some sort of connection to this great person, who was gone to soon, but undeniably left his stamp on the world, changing martial arts forever, and leaving behind invaluable treasure, his teachings, showing us how our lives can be affected in a most positive way.
kobe aint so bad after all
his body is gone but his spirit lives on
r.i.p bruce lee
I just saw the campaign, thought’d I share with everyone. It’s a nice little homage to the great Bruce Lee. http://hypebeast.com/2010/02/bruce-lee-nike-zoom-kobe-promotional-posters/
[img]http://images.sneakernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/kobe-v-bruce-lee-posters.jpg[/img]
[img]http://images.sneakernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/kobe-v-bruce-lee-posters.jpg[/img]
A sideline reporter showed Kobe’s shoe in honor of Bruce Lee during the telecast of the Lakers vs. Denver game, Feb. 5th, at the Staple Center. The reporter mentioned that Kobe’s training in JKD helped his footwork and on court awareness, but the reporter holding and looking at the shoe just couldn’t figure out why this shoe was uniquely designed in honor of Bruce Lee. I yelled at her ignorance, it’s because the color of the shoe is the same color as Bruce’s jumpsuit in the Game of Death. Sigh.
Just wanted to thank shannon for what she is doing on behave of her father. I remember the day he died, i was living in NYC at the age of 9yrs old. I cried up and down the streets of my neighborhood looking through the trash cans and collecting newspapers that ran head line story of his death. Bruce is my hero! i started taking up martial arts because of him. I have pictures of him in my computer/training room. Thank you Shannon……love you man.
hi shanan how ru hope all is well, i was just wondering and hopeing they would make the rest of ur dads films on blue ray..i have enter the dragon on blue ray an it’s awsome.thank you an love ya
I studied martial arts for about 2 years as a child. For years after, I kind of neglected it. I am now 31 one, and thanks to Bruce, I am studying what I learned then, with other forms from say like websites or from books. I picked up the book written on Jeet Kune Do, which is only one, please forgive me if he has written more, but it has a lot of philosophy at the start. I read a couple of quotes, but the guy was very intelligent. It was as if I was reading the book of proverbs from the bible. Yes, I read the bible. =) I can’t afford martial arts training, and had no idea where else to put this question. I am in fact inspired by Mr. Lee to get in shape and learn to defend myself. But by training myself, I pretty much know how to warm up such as stretching and exercise, and I know front kick, side kick, round kick, round house, back kick. I know two back kicks, one with your back leg and the other where you spin around from being in a front stance and kicking with your back leg. Probably foot, you are only moving your leg. =) I have thought about creating my own form of fighting with what I know, and learn to defend myself with it and to stay in shape along with bowflex (lol sorry, I can’t workout with free weights, because I think I have tendinitis. Is this wise? Do you think I can do it? I have learn some self defense karate, taekwondo, a little bit of boxing, ( I used to box all the time in the back yard with friends), and a little bit of judo (though, I probably need to learn a lot more of it. I sparred some when I was a child and learned that you can plan ahead, but you must be ready to react if that plan fails. Am I right? Is this wise?
I suppose it will have to be, because it’s all I can do. =) But thanks to Bruce Lee, he is my inspiration. I want to train my mind as well. Think like a dragon, be like the fire. D= burn the ideas which spoil the flesh and walk a path which leads to purity. =)
I am now reading the tao of Jeet Kune Do, and apologize of my ignorance of Bruce Lee or lack of knowledge. He is a well worth a person to know. Hopefully, I will draw closer to the man by reading this book, and as it is written, of myself. =)
I know this is an old post, but..I remember watching the NBA finals last year and one of the players on the opposing team said “I put together a binder of all of Kobe’s moves..and then I threw it out because he didn’t use any of it.” I remember thinking that Kobe Bryant’s basketball philosophy was a lot like Bruce Lees martial arts philosophy, and later found out Kobe studied JKD. Even in a completely different sport I could see his mark.
I don’t care about all the others just, That there is only one Bruce Lee and he was the best. Even today they try and duplicate a man that was awesome. To me, Bruce Lee was the best and know matter how hard they try there can never be another Bruce Lee. He had a great heart and spirit and The world Lost the best. My Love and hopes to his family. David Lee.
That’s why kobe has that knockout punch at the end of seemingly every game. To be honest, I dont like his (usually) selfish game, but theres no one in NBA history outside of Jordan youd rather taking the shot at the end of the game.
I have read everything that has come out of Bruce Lees writings, anything I can get my hands on. His philosophy is a good light to help guide me through lifes journey, I always look forward to new discoverys of his. His teachings have encouraged me to push myself in ways that I probably would have never tried without him. Thanks to him and his family for keeping him alive and kicking.
Bruce’s lasting and widespread influence continues to amaze me. This posting brings a happy tear to my eye.
helllo . my first meet mr bruce lee on sunday 14 of february 1969 at local club and watching tv show longstreet bw. on tv of one channels entertainment box for us that time than , in one monday ı went go to teathre before 8 days of his tragıc death ,the fists of fury came to teathre and ı was working at çukurova caterpillar dealer on turkey , and ı tell to lies my boss if the weather condition the ships are not working by fogs lol, it was small lies yes for me but the biggest actor was we meet at that day, also ı do learn his deaht news in istanbul when ı was read engilish text — the woıce of the world magazine weekly — than until today that love not erased, increased lıke storm in my heart maybe keep me alive to run trougth the words to you in this place .
by the way thank you to mrs shannon lee.