Young Kobe Bryant Caught on Camera Celebrating Darryl Strawberry Homer in 1990
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Rare archival footage has surfaced showing a 12-year-old Kobe Bryant cheering from the stands during a Philadelphia Phillies–New York Mets game in 1990.
The video, shared on September 1, 2025 by the social-media account @kobehighlight, captures the future Los Angeles Lakers legend seated next to his father, former NBA player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium. Bryant can be seen jumping to his feet and applauding after Mets slugger Darryl Strawberry sends a pitch over the fence.
Although the clip lasts only a few seconds, it offers a glimpse of Bryant long before his five NBA championships, responding with childlike excitement to one of his baseball idols. In later interviews, Bryant said he grew up rooting for the Mets and hoped to emulate Strawberry’s talent, making the newly unearthed footage particularly poignant.
Finding video of athletes as children is uncommon for the pre-smartphone era, increasing the significance of this discovery. Most moments from Bryant’s early life were never recorded or have since been lost.
The appearance of the 1990 tape follows recent anecdotes about Bryant’s competitive drive, including former teammate Sasha Vujacic’s recollection of intense practice battles during the Lakers’ championship seasons.
Source: Lakers Nation
