KIERAN SHANNON: From Belfast to Knicks for a shooting star

Back when I met Dave Hopla last March, he told a story which gives an insight into Kobe Bryant.

Years earlier, Hopla had given another one of his incredible shooting demonstrations at a summer camp, ‘failing’ to miss even one of the hundreds of free-throws and three-pointers he had launched all the while talking to his gobsmacked audience about everything from how great it was to be alive to the mechanics of the jump shot.

Then, a 16-year-old from Philadelphia approached him. Could Hopla take him for a shooting workout the next day? Hopla said he’d struggle; he had to leave town early the next morning. Kobe Bryant asked if they could meet at 6am. Hopla agreed, and the following morning, showed up at 5.40am, sure he’d preserve his record of invariably being the first to the gym. Bryant was already waiting for him — with a message he verbalised.