The path from casual fan to professional basketball player often begins with a spark of inspiration, and for Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward , that spark was ignited by the late, great Kobe Bryant . However, the 22-year-old's basketball journey didn't start on a court. His hoops curiosity was actually piqued on a couch, sitting beside his grandfather, absorbing the game through the lens of Los Angeles Lakers basketball and a shared passion for the Mamba Mentality.

“Well, ever since I was young I've been gravitating towards sports,” Coward told ClutchPoints. “Me and my grandpa used to watch games when I was really young. I grew up a Lakers fan and my favorite guy was (Kobe Bryant).”

Those formative years watching Bryant's relentless pursuit of excellence left an indelible mark.

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