Naomi Osaka’s agent tells the fascinating story of how Kobe Bryant helped her regain her winning mindset
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Naomi Osaka and Kobe Bryant
What is common between four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka and basketball superstar Kobe Byrant? The answer is that both have tasted magnificent success in a very short span of their respective careers. Both became World No.1 and fan favorites at a very young age.
However, whereas Kobe Bryant remained at the top of the basketball sport and is now considered a legend, Naomi Osaka struggled to maintain her dominance in her chosen sport. The basketball player knew the art of winning and staying at the top. He also helped the young tennis player in her quest to become called ‘the best’.
Naomi Osaka won her first Grand Slam title, i.e., the US Open in 2018. She subsequently won the Australian Open in 2019. The tennis player and the basketball star met each other for the first time in 2019 on the sidelines of the French Open 2019.
She lost in the third round of Roland Garros. The Japanese star’s career soon hit a new low. She lost to Yulia Putintseva in the first round of the 2019 Wimbledon. She also lost her World No.1 ranking and dropped to No.2.
Kobe Bryant gave Naomi Osaka pep talk that changed her life
Naomi Osaka was having trouble winning against all the competition that was coming at her. She was also having trouble soaking in all the limelight. It was a sad phase for her. However, her agent Stuart Duguid understood her situation and decided to do something about it.
“Naomi played the French Open and lost in the third round when she was No. 1. She said, ‘I was able to get to No. 1 relatively smoothly, but now I’m here and that’s what feels like the challenge. People want to beat me every single match.’” Mr. Duguid retold this story.
He contacted Kobe Byrant to help her client get back to form and more importantly to a winning mindset.
“We got back from Wimbledon on a Tuesday afternoon and sent him an email. He got right back to us and said, ‘Be at my office at 9 AM tomorrow. Naomi was pretty shy at the time, so my wife and I went and picked her up and drove her to Orange County. When we got to the office we said, ‘Alright, on you go!’ She thought we were all gonna go together and sit down with him, but we knew if we told her in advance that it was a one-on-one she’d probably be too nervous,” he further continued.
Naomi Osaka went in to meet Kobe Byrant and after half an hour she came back happily. She came out and said, ‘That was the most fascinating hour and a half of my entire life,’” Mr. Stuart remembers exactly what her client said after coming out from the basketball superstar’s office.
The Japanese player went on to win the 2020 US Open title and the 2021 Australian Open title. She also started multiple businesses along with the sports agency Evolve, of which, Mr. Stuart Duguid is also a founder.
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