In 2006 interview with Stephen A. Smith asked Kobe Bryant what he learned after what was likely one of the lowest times in his life and career. The NBA legend replied with three words: “God is great.”

In 2003, at the age of 24, a felony assault charge was filed against Kobe Bryant. Despite the accusers refusal to testify and the matter being settled outside of court, Bryant’s reputation and marriage were, for a time, severely damaged. This was the incident Stephen A. Smith was referring to in the interview.

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Appearing on the ‘Quite Frankly’ show, hosted by Smith, an NBA analyst and radio host, Bryant shared what it meant for him to pick up his cross and follow Jesus.

Mike Todd, the megachurch pastor of Transformation Church, shared the interview to his Instagram on Monday morning.

“But what did you learn from that whole experience? Just having to go through what you went through?” Smith asks in the interview, not pointing out what he was talking about specifically.

“God is great,” Bryant answered.

“Is it really that simple?” Smith asked.

“God is great,” Kobe responded again, adding, “it doesn’t get much simpler than that.”

“Did you know that? I mean everyone knows that but the way you know it now, did you know it before that incident took place?” Smith asked again.

“You can know it all you want, but until you have to pick up that cross that you can’t carry and he picks it up for you and carries you and the cross, then you know,” Kobe said.

Smith, who currently works for ESPN, opened up about Kobe’s death this week on ESPN 2.

“It’s just devastating,” Smith said, clearly emotional. “This is a guy I’ve known for his entire career,” Smith added, noting Bryant’s career on and off the basketball court.

“He laughed a lot more than people realized,” Smith added. “He was a great basketball player, he was a great father. He loved his wife Vanessa obviously, tremendously. And he was a great friend.”

On Sunday morning, Kobe, along with his daughter Gianna and seven other people, were killed in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. The private helicopter was headed to Gianna’s Mamba Academy basketball game.

(Excerpt from Faithwire. Article by Lindsay Elizabeth.)