MANILA, Philippines - At the last FIBA World Cup in China in 2019, Kobe Bryant was the games' official ambassador. He not only thrilled the Chinese fans but watched closely and passed out compliments to players and teams from Poland to Venezuela in English, Spanish and Italian.
Bryant is sadly not at the 2023 event, his tragic death coming only a few months after he handed out the trophy in Beijing. But if he were, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson would probably have captured Bryant's attention this summer in Manila.
Hollis-Jefferson has emerged as the epitome of what makes the World Cup fascinating and has done it with a version of Mamba Mentality that honors Bryant's memory and has captured the hearts of the Filipino fans.