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Life outside of hoops wasn’t quite as easy. A solid B student, Kobe struggled to find common ground with **his** classmates. In Europe **he** had been sheltered from many of the temptations and pressures faced by teenagers in the U.S. Naturally quiet and reserved, **he** got a crash-course in dealing with the daily dramas of high school hallways. By **his** junior year, Kobe finally felt comfortable in **his** surroundings. **He** also began to make major strides in **his** hoops career. At 5-6 he decided his basketball future was probably in the backcourt and began to think and practice like a guard. **This** was fine by Lower Merion coach Gregg Downer, **who** liked the mismatches Kobe presented to opponents. In truth, between the expert advice the youngster received from **his** father and the competition **he** faced each year in Philadelphia’s top summer leagues, **he** would have been a handful for just about any high-school defender.