lower merion has won.en so ballyhooed and has packed this arena tonight. it drove home to me that this was not just a high school adolescent boy's hopeless dream. the father, jellybean joe bryant, son, kobe embracing on the side. this was real. and he just said, “mrs. mastriano, you've got to understand, that's just the window's closing. the great teachers in the sport aren't going to be around much longer. i want to learn from them.” [cheering] something is burning. it's pushing me to improve and to find out more about this game. this is the guy who had really one dream in life. and that's to be as good as the greatest player to ever play the game of basketball. they had a press conference scheduled for the middle of the day in our gymnasium. there were hundreds of people there-- students, media, reporters. as he walked out, he had his sunglasses up on his forehead and a nice suit on. and gregg downer, who was the head coach, said to me, should i tell him to get those sunglasses off? they look terrible. a

i'm used to saying lower merion high school. so i'm there. like, well, i play for the lower merion high. no. you know what? i'm in los angeles. laker. we're the number one team. >> you're the number one fans. we're in the number one city. >> the lakers weren't a run of the mill nba team. the lakers were magic johnson and kareem abdul-jabbar it was hollywood. >> it was glitz. it was glamor. >> golden jersey, baby. >> the whole family moved to. >> pacific palisades. they were all under one roof. palatial house, the last on the hill of a cul de sac. everything was white and big puffy couches. >> i think they had the same dream of superstardom. two men understanding that this is a very special place. it's a rarified air that we're in. i didn't get it for very long, joe, but kobe, you may have it for a very long time. >> i met kobe shortly after being drafted out of high school, and it was so great for me because i came from a place where it wasn't mom and dad in the home. i felt like i was part of the family, sat down and ate dinner together. his

i'm used to saying lower merion high school, so i'm there. i'm like, well, i play for lower merion high now. you know, what? i'm a los angeles laker. >> and this sports crazed town embraced that kid like a member of the family. like few other athletes ever. i was a sports anchor in l.a. the night kobe proposed to vanessa. and every station in town sent traffic helicopters over their house with live coverage to mark the momentous occasion. we had no idea how he would evolve as a family man, as a player, and how vanessa would end up as a fierce defender of his legacy. in 2003, when he was charged with sexually assaulting a 19 year old desk clerk at a colorado resort, he insisted it was consensual and his wife's very public support helped keep the public very much on his side. >> i'm innocent. i didn't force her to do. anything against her will. disgusted at myself for making a mistake of adultery. >> his defense team and the media tore into his accusers personal life. there were multiple death threats, and when she was no longer willing to test

i'm used to saying lower merion high school. so i'm there.i'm like, well, i play for lower merion high. no, you know what? i'm a los angeles laker. >> and this sports crazed town embraced that kid like a member of the family. like few other athletes ever. i was a sports anchor in l.a. the night kobe proposed to vanessa and every station in town sent traffic helicopters over their house with live coverage to mark the momentous occasion. we had no idea how he would evolve as a family man, as a player, and how vanessa would end up as a fierce defender of his legacy. in 2003, when he was charged with sexually assaulting a 19 year old desk clerk at a colorado resort, he insisted it was consensual and his wife's very public support helped keep the public very much on his side. >> i'm innocent. i didn't force her to do. anything against her will, discuss it at myself for making a mistake of. adultery. >> his defense team and the media tore into his accusers. personal life. there were multiple death threats, and when she was no longer willing to test

i'm used to saying, lower merion high school. so i'm there.m like, well, i play for lower merion high. no, you know what? i'm a los angeles laker. >> and this. >> sports crazed town embraced that. kid like a member of the family. like few other athletes ever. i was a sports anchor in l.a. the night kobe proposed to vanessa. and every station in town sent traffic helicopters over their house with live coverage to mark the momentous occasion. we had no idea how he would evolve as a family man, as a player, and how vanessa would end up as a fierce defender of his legacy. in 2003, when he was charged with sexually assaulting a 19 year. >> old desk clerk. >> at a colorado resort, he insisted it was consensual and his wife's very public support helped keep the public very much on his side. >> i'm innocent. i didn't force her to do. anything against her will. disgusted at myself for making a mistake of. adultery. >> his defense team and the media tore into his accusers. personal life. there were multiple death threats, and when she was no longer will