Kobe Bryant defends against Carl English during a 2008 exhibition game between the U.S. and Canada on July 25, 2008, in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Newfoundland and Labrador basketball player Carl English says NBA legend Kobe Bryant was a fierce competitor that he was “blessed” to play against.
Bryant, his daughter and seven other people were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif., on Sunday. He retired in 2016 as the third-leading scorer in NBA history after a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
English says he was devastated and shocked when he heard the news of Bryant’s death but has fond memories of challenging him on the court.
“It was definitely a highlight of my career.… The man’s a legend, just so special to the game of basketball,” he said.
“When something like this happens, it hits home. It hits home as a father. I mean, how many times do you travel to practice with your child? And it can happen so easy.”
Players on the <a href=”https://twitter.com/stjohnsedge?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@stjohnsedge</a> stand arm in arm as the shot clock counts down 24 seconds to honour Kobe Bryant <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcnl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#cbcnl</a> <a href=”https://t.co/NJFDXti4qC”>pic.twitter.com/NJFDXti4qC</a>
English said he trained with Bryant and the Lakers while playing at the University of Hawaii and played against him and a star-studded American team in international competition in 2007 and 2008.
He said he even wore No. 8 with Team Canada because of Bryant’s influence.
Choo-choo train
Bryant would often be matched up against the other team’s top players to shut them down, English said, something he did to him in 2007 — in an unusual fashion.
“He was like a choo-choo train in my ear, so everywhere I moved, he’d grab my arm and he’d be like a train, and as I’d run faster, he’d make the sound faster,” he said.
“[He was an] ultimate competitor, a force to be reckoned with.”
Kobe was one of the greatest ever. <a href=”https://twitter.com/cenglish23?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@cenglish23</a> tried his best against him in 2008. <a href=”https://t.co/ptoyOlUEcq”>https://t.co/ptoyOlUEcq</a>
English said he was more confident when the two faced each other again the following year before the Beijing Olympics, really challenging Bryant and shaking off his defence.
“Both of us were going at each other pretty good.… There was a play on the left side of the floor, I cross him over, I bring him back and the crowd made a crazy noise,” he said.
“I crossed him two times in the same play, but something snapped and next time he ripped me at half court … then we trapped him at half court, he stepped through it and hit a bank shot and he’s like, ‘You’ve gone and woke up Mamba.'”
English said it was an “amazing experience” to guard and be guarded by Bryant, “hands down” the best player he’s ever played against.
The Mamba mentality
But the influence of Bryant’s intense work ethic and drive to get better — what he called the Mamba mentality — was felt beyond the basketball court, English said.
“When people talk about his mentality, the Mamba mentality, it transcends through all sports,” he said.
“A generation of people have been inspired by his mentality and what he’s done as a basketball player.”
English said it was a relentless pursuit of greatness that made Kobe Bryant the player he was.
“I think that’s what set him apart. He didn’t start off as a star; he was highly talented, but he worked his way to the top and became one of the greatest of all time.”
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
