(East Los Angeles, CA) [From The Editor’s Desk]: To all of our late Kobe Bryant and Lakers fans, we travel back into our East L.A. Sports Scene Golden Video Archives and bring you our 2007 Exclusive Interview with him during his first year of training camp under then, USA Basketball Men’s National Basketball Team’s Head Coach, Mike Krzyzewski, and the rest of the members on TEAM USA. (See that full roster below).

This was a rare, but brief opportunity to meet, greet, and capture a “one-on-one” interview, under the media accreditation process of USA Basketball, with the legend,  5 x NBA World Champion Laker, 2008 MVP, and 11 x All-NBA 1st Team, during his off-season time at the USA Basketball Training Camp held in Las Vegas, NV as the team prepared for the 2007 FIBA AmeriCupTournament that was played in the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV).

Here is the roster of that 2007 Championship Team.

Kobe’s unquestionable leadership, his Rock of Gibraltar determination, and enthusiastic pride to represent his country were easily distinguishable as he made the training camp preparation with his teammates a most unique and awe-inspiring event in itself.  The Team’s regular practice sessions over the span of the camp, not open to the public, but only to Family and specially invited guests, were incredible wonders to watch and experience. There would be no doubt that TEAM USA would bring home the Gold from the FIBA AmeriCup competition that took place from August 22nd through September 2nd, and subsequently one year later during the 2008 Olympic Games.

After winning this FIBA AmeriCup Tournament, the team would re-assemble in Las Vegas the following year for preparations of the 2008 Olympic Games that took place in Beijing, China where Kobe would lead our team to the Gold Medal. For the next four years, Kobe would stay committed to USA Basketball and TEAM USA and come home from the 2012 London, England Olympic Games with his second Gold Medal. We are forever grateful and thankful that Kobe recognized us as a valued member of the media and that he respectfully gave of his time to speak with us. Rest in Peace Kobe!