'Needs to be fixed' - Kobe Bryant's stark warning on glaring NBA issue rings true amid historic ratings slump

Kobe Bryant, known for his directness, was a vocal critic of Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball, reiterating his strong disapproval in 2016 during his farewell NBA tour. He stated he "hated" AAU basketball, arguing that it fails to teach young American players the fundamentals of the game. Specifically, Bryant claimed it doesn't teach players "how to play the right way," how to think about the game, or how to play in combinations. He criticized the system as being reward-based for coaches and functioning merely as a "showcase," calling it "absolutely horrible for the game."

Bryant contrasted his experience, attributing his fundamental skills to growing up in Europe where he learned "all the basics." He believed his generation was fortunate that AAU became problematic later and felt the current AAU system was doing a "tremendous disservice" to young players, something he stated "definitely needs to be fixed." When asked if modern stars lacked fundamentals compared to previous generations, he pointed to the detrimental influence of AAU as the cause for current deficiencies.

The article briefly summarizes Bryant's illustrious 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers (1996-2016), where he became one of the NBA's defining stars. He famously teamed with Shaquille O'Neal to win three consecutive championships (2000-2002). Later, partnering with Pau Gasol, Bryant led the Lakers to three more NBA Finals appearances (2008-2010), winning two additional championships, bringing his total to five NBA titles.