A commitment to basketball and young Filipino athletes

[gallery]Kobe Bryant has returned to Manila for the third time today July 13, 2011 to kick off his five-city tour. Manila will be his first stop before moving on to Seoul and various cities in China.

Kobe was able to connect with a lot of young Filipino athletes, encouraging them to fulfill their dreams through sport like he did.

As commitment to basketball and young Filipino athletes, Nike continuously develops campaigns that will encourage them to reach for their sports dreams. Kobe’s visit is a testament to this. Though very brief, his one-day visit will definitely inspire Filipino athletes who look up to him.

Kobe Bryant knew that he wanted to become a basketball player. He grew up continually honing his skills and practicing drills which helped in his rise as a basketball superstar.

He was drafted in 1996 for the professional league and has since gotten five championship rings with his team, an MVP Award and received 4 All-Star MVP Awards.

Kobe unabashedly seizes every opportunity to improve his game – and grabs every single reward that comes with them. Taking inspiration from Kobe’s passion and dedication, his tour is designed to lead young hoopsters down the path to greatness.

He's one-day visit started with a short show at Nike Park, The Fort at 3:00 PM.

Basketball game at Araneta Coliseum at 5:00 PM featuring players from Nike-sponsored FEU Tamaraws, DLSU Green Archers, ADMU Blue Eagles and Smart Gilas Pilipinas. Kobe taught these young athletes on how to better improve their skills for the coming basketball season.