"Kobe Bryant was always saying stuff about passing down to the next generation" - Naomi Osaka opens up about former NBA star's influence on her

Naomi Osaka recently talked about the impact that Kobe Bryant had on her and opened up about the invaluable lesson she learned from the late NBA superstar.

Osaka has been restricted to the sidelines for almost a year, with her last match coming at the 2022 Japan Open in September. The four-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from the 2023 Australian Open and later announced her pregnancy with longtime boyfriend and rap artist, Cordae.

However, the Japanese prodigy's absence from the tour before announcing her pregnancy was due to her struggles with mental health. Although her courageous public address of mental health issues was praised by many athletes, her struggles propelled following the tragic death of her role model and former NBA star, Kobe Bryant.

According to the former WTA World No. 1, her idol, Bryant, always aided and guided her in tough times.

In the recent podcast Mountaintop Conversations By Saysh on Spotify, the Japanese remarked that she was blessed to share conversations with the basketball legend. She stated that Bryant inspired numerous people around the world, including her.

“I was lucky enough to interact with Kobe, before he passed. He was always saying stuff about passing it down to the next generation, ” said Naomi Osaka.

Late NBA star, Kobe Bryant, is remembered as one of the best basketball players in the history of the sport. He spent all 20 years of his professional career playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Unfortunately, Bryant passed away, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020.

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"It was just hard to watch everyone competing" – Naomi Osaka on missing Australian Open 2023 due to pregnancy

Naomi Osaka at the 2022 Australian Open

Naomi Osaka recently welcomed her baby girl, Shai, alongside her boyfriend Cordae. Although the Japanese star has been planning a comeback to the WTA tour, her absence from the sport has left her unsettled.

In an interview with Vogue, Osaka made a candid admission about her time away from tennis. The four-time Grand Slam champion also confessed about feeling "upset" after she was unable to participate in the Melbourne Major this season.

"I remember following the Australian Open a little bit earlier this year, and it made me upset because I’ve never missed an Australian Open. "It was kind of hard to cope with those feelings of wanting to be there really badly," Naomi Osaka said.