The passion Kobe Bryant brought to the game of basketball was inspiring to all budding players, according to Irish Super League star Jason Killeen.
Killeen, who scored 15 points to help Griffith College Templeogue claim the Hula Hoops Pat Duffy National Cup for the third time in five years at the weekend, was speaking on 2fm's Game On about the passing of the NBA legend.
He spent his entire 20-year NBA career at the Los Angeles Lakers and became one of the most recognisable figures in the United States.
The double Olympic champion - who was an 18-time NBA All-Star - retired from basketball in 2016, and Killeen told listeners the impact the American had on the sport.
"For my generation - I’m 35 years of age - all my peers, Kobe was somebody we looked up to and idolised," he told listeners.
Killeen, who played college basketball in the United States for Winthrop and Augusta State for six years, says it was the Lakers’ star dedication to his craft that set him apart.
"There are constant stories about him getting up at all hours of the morning and dragging team-mates into the gym. He’s the kind of guy who never took a short-cut and always strived to be better, on both sides of the floor.
"You see a lot of players, they might be talented offensively or defensively, Kobe was one of the players who was unbelievable on offense and there was a dog in him on defence.
"The passion he brought to the game was inspiring."
