SAN FRANCISCO — Bob Myers remembers the first time he met Kobe Bryant. It was in 1997 on his first day working as a sports agent at Tellem and Associates, and Bryant was sitting in a chair in the lobby of the Brentwood office wearing a retro Joe Montana jersey.
Bryant was 19 at the time, coming off a rookie season in which he averaged 7.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. Despite the modest numbers, Bryant told Myers that he was going to win 10 championships. Myers left the brief interaction in awe of Bryant’s defiant confidence.