According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, Kobe Bryant handpicked a number of current NBA players to attend a training camp last month at his new facility in California.
Aside from obviously teaching invitees how to tap into their inner Mamba mentality, Bryant brought along Los Angeles Lakers skill coach Phil Handy to address strength training, provide on-court training, and take a page from his ESPN+ show Detail by incorporating some video work.
Stein reports that Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Jamal Murray, Isaiah Thomas, Buddy Hield, John Collins, Aaron Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Jordan Clarkson were the select few in attendance.
De’Aaron Fox was one of the last players to withdraw from playing for Team USA in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. When the announcement was made, Fox stated that he wanted to "focus on upcoming season with goal of making playoffs."
It seems like the appeal of participating in the Mamba Pro Invitational may have also played a part in his decision.
