VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Tadd Smith still remembers playing basketball in middle school.
After all, it’s hard not to when those years were spent playing basketball with the late Kobe Bryant.
It was the early 1990s, and Smith had just moved to Basel, Switzerland for his dad’s job. So did Kobe.
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Kobe spent seven years in Europe, but it was mostly in Italy. However, he did briefly attend middle school in Switzerland where he played basketball.
That’s where he and Smith crossed paths, at International School.
“This is our first championship we won as a team,” Smith said, holding up a photo where he’s standing just behind Kobe.
Smith’s dad was their basketball coach.
“I think that might possibly be the happiest I’ve ever seen my dad in my life,” Smith said with a laugh.
Smith recalled Kobe as charismatic, even at that age.
“He was funny, but it was always almost this mature funny -- like a little bit over everybody’s head,” Smith said.
And, he always had that Mamba mentality. Even back then, Smith said, he was really good.
“No matter what we were doing ... he wanted to do it better than anyone else,” Smith said.
The two lost touch when they moved back to the U.S. for high school. They both dreamed about playing in the NBA.
For Kobe, that became a reality. Smith celebrated as he watched Kobe win five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kobe and his daughter Gianna were among the nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Southern California on Sunday. Smith said hearing the news was emotional for him.
“She was 13, and I have a 13-year-old daughter, and Kobe and I are the same age,” Smith said. “So that was a lot.”
But he’ll forever remember the young boy whose passion and determination propelled him to greatness.
“He affected a lot of lives,” Smith said. “I mean, I’m crying, and I didn’t even have a huge relationship with him.”
Read: NBA icon Kobe Bryant, daughter Gianna among 9 killed in helicopter crash
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