Many have a Kobe story; Ryan Badrtalei has hundreds. Most don’t know Kobe's path from All-Star to NBA 🐐 cut through the school in his backyard: UC Irvine. This is how a UCI assistant privately became Kobe’s longtime trainer and confidant—untold until now. cbssports.com/college-basket…
Will thread out some photos and context to Ryan and Kobe's friendship. Most of these images have never been seen before. they crystallize the connection between Kobe, Irvine and how Badrtalei got as close as almost anyone outside the NBA w/ Kobe in the second half of his career
Bryant played pickup at UCI. He participated in charity events on campus. Sometimes he and Badrtalei would have two-a-days, Kobe recovering in the training room alongside volleyball, soccer or basketball players. His presence became normal at this tucked-away Big West school. 
Badrtalei was a DOBO making 17K a year in 2007 when Kobe met him. What's funny is how UC Irvine's sub-par facilities probably cost it plenty of prospects back, yet they were good enough for Kobe Bean Bryant, who would drive himself to and from, either at 5 a.m. or 11 p.m.
Ryan did more than train. He’d accompany him to charity events, hit up Angels games, be there at Kobe’s camp. Even met Ryan’s sisters. But nobody at UCI or on the NBA side really knew the extent of how Ryan became a right-hand man while also holding down a full time coaching gig.
When Badrtalei got married, Kobe had custom-embroidered Kobe VIs made you that included the initials of all the groomsmen and had names and the wedding date on the tongues. The shoes matched their wedding colors.
Kobe thought so highly of Ryan, he called him the morning of the Lakers' '09 parade and invited him to a family-only team function. Next thing he knew he was on the team bus and in the parade (that's him in sunglasses, black shirt, backward hat) and on stage at the LA Coliseum.
Remember when Kobe went to Germany to get treatment he couldn't get in the United States and it was a bit of a thing? Badrtalei was who he took with him on that trip. Here they are in Düsseldorf, in 2011, as Kobe was prepping for Regenokine treatment.
Kobe in training room before his penultimate home game in 2016, a week before his 60-point finale. Kobe asked Ryan to go to that last game but Ryan knew that one would be a circus. Instead, they flew together on Kobe’s chopper to that second-to-last game. (More details in story.)
There’s another nice photo, but it’s the kicker, so come on in. In '07 Kobe was talking with Jordan about leaving LA to play for Chicago. He started training at UCI and met Badrtalei. Kobe won an MVP the next year, then two more titles. The rest is history.cbssports.com/college-basket…
Here’s the kicker: In '09 Rob Pelinka called Ryan, asking for his ring size. He would have none of it. Seven years go by. Two weeks after Kobe retires, he invites Ryan over and pulls out Ryan’s ring; he’d been holding it for him since LA won its two titles.cbssports.com/college-basket…
