Kobe is committed to breeding the elite athletes of the future and instilling the Mamba mentality in them at an early age.
Kobe Bryant continues to build his post-career legacy by teaming up to create the MAMBA Sports Academy, a 100,000 square-foot palace in Thousand Oaks, California.
According to the former Lakers star, it’s “a natural expansion of my commitment to educating and empowering the next generation of kids through sports.” The press release describes it as an “academy to a holistic, multi-sport training for young athletes.”
Arash Markazi on Twitter
Kobe: “MAMBA Sports Academy is a natural expansion of my commitment to educating and empowering the next generation of kids through sports. We focus on offering a premium experience on proper training for young athletes, and infuse a little ‘Mamba Mentality’ into their programs.
The academy was initially created in 2016 but will be re-branded officially under Kobe Bryant’s brand in 2019. There’s even an eSports training ground for future GM’s and a Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu school.
While Kobe’s dedication to breeding the supreme athlete’s of our future and instilling the Mamba mentality in them at an early age is admirable, let’s measure the pros and cons of this academy.
PROS
1. According to reports, MAMBA Sports Academy anticipates opening additional facilities in Southern California in the near future. Programs of this ilk will benefit youth tremendously and improve the talent pool in those areas.
2. The sports academy will eventually become the go-to spot for elite athletes in California and across the country. The training revolution will continue to boost the Kobe Bryant brand, while providing athletes with accessible, highly professional training facilities.
3. Many kids have the desire to train but don’t have the knowledge about how to train properly. MAMBA Sports Academy will undoubtedly adapt proper training habits tested and proven by Kobe himself. Kobe has tutored many players in the past and is unrivaled as far as work ethic, staying fit and his technical understanding of the game.
CONS
1. Hopefully Kobe wont forget the inner city kids and those of color who are already behind the eight ball as far as elite training and resources go.
2. How much will these training opportunities cost? Will certain sectors of society be priced out of partaking in Kobe’s athletics training paradise? If so, all he’s doing is giving another advantage to a group that already holds most of the financial advantages in society.
3. What kind of trainers will be working at these facilities as Kobe expands into different markets? Will the quality of trainers be consistent across the board? How will these people be vetted? An endeavor of this proposition can go left quickly if any legally compromising situations occur between staff and customer.
