"He Was Supposed To Attend" - Former MABA VP Reminisces Friendship With Late Kobe Bryant
Datuk Yeoh Choo Hock launched his book, 'My Life, My Journey', yesterday, 2 February, at Parkroyal Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
By Sarah Razif — 03 Feb 2020, 07:04 PM
On Sunday 2 February, former Malaysian Basketball Association (MABA) vice president Datuk Yeoh Choo Hock, launched his book titled My Life, My Journey
Yeoh was Malaysia's national basketball coach from 1975 to 1989 and helped Malaysia win a gold medal at the 1989 Sea Games held in Kuala Lumpur.
In his new book, My Life, My Journey, he describes his contributions and challenges in basketball and gives insight into his work at the local and international stage.
The book is split into several parts, starting with his early life and his love for basketball, to the celebrities he met, the lives he touched, and also his family.
It is not often that a person is recognised for giving rise to a sport, but due to his contributions over half a century, Yeoh is rightly known as "Mr Basketball"
"I'm happy with the launch of this book. It feels amazing to see everyone, who have been part of my life, is here with me today. I'm so grateful," said Yeoh.
He has met a lot of celebrities over the years, but there is one celebrity he clearly remembers and that is the late basketball player, Kobe Bryant.
Yeoh shared that Kobe Bryant, whom he met at an Adidas event in Italy years back, was suppose to attend the book launch
Yeoh had built a friendship with Bryant over the years after meeting him during a three-on-three basketball meet for Adidas in Italy.
"Despite knowing he was a successful athlete, he was so humble," said Yeoh.
"I'm devastated by the news of Kobe and his daughter. I've invited him and he promised to come, it really makes me sad," said Yeoh.
He also added a picture of him and Kobe together in the book.
However, the basketball legend passed away in a helicopter accident on Sunday, 26 January
The late basketball star Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna as well as seven other people were killed on Sunday morning when their helicopter crashed into a fog-covered hillside near Calabasas, California.
