TITLE: Kobe Bryant’s Push Helped Alex Rodriguez Overcome Knee Trouble, Ex-Yankee Says
SLUG: kobe-bryant-pushed-alex-rodriguez-to-fix-knee-in-germany
CONTENT:
Former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez said Kobe Bryant played an unexpected role in extending his baseball career, urging him to seek treatment in Germany when a lingering knee injury threatened his performance.
Speaking on Bloomberg Podcasts, Rodriguez explained that the two athletes bonded over arriving in their respective leagues as teenagers. When Rodriguez complained about knee pain, the Los Angeles Lakers legend “basically screamed” at him to fly overseas for the same platelet-rich plasma procedure Bryant famously used.
“I did, it worked really well and I came back and played well and my knee felt great after that,” Rodriguez said.
The relationship went beyond medical advice. Rodriguez recalled Bryant regularly watching Yankees broadcasts on YES Network, then calling afterward with blunt pep talks. “Don’t forget who the eff you are,” Bryant would tell him, urging the slugger to ignore boos and “just go be you.” Bryant even ventured into baseball mechanics, suggesting Rodriguez drop his elbow during swings — guidance the 14-time All-Star laughingly declined.
Bryant’s influence has been cited by several athletes across sports. Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, a lifelong Bryant admirer, recently listed Bryant alongside LeBron James and Michael Jordan as his three greatest players ever, saying those names are “cemented” in basketball history.
Rodriguez’s anecdotes add to the growing collection of stories illustrating Bryant’s far-reaching impact long after his final NBA game.
Source: LakersNation.com
