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NBA legend Kobe Bryant dies 2:09
(CNN) - In recent days, basketball legend Kobe Bryant, who died this Sunday, referred to racism in sports and said more education was needed to deal with the scourge of racism in football.
The late 41-year-old, five-time NBA champion, lived in Italy from six to 13 years old while his father played professional basketball.
He developed his love for football there, but also witnessed racism firsthand before returning to the United States, where he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
"Racism is something that has been part of our culture," Bryant told Andy Scholes of CNN at a Major League Soccer event in California.
"Although we have come a long way [in racism], there is still a lot to do and I think education is always the most important thing."
There have been a number of incidents of high-profile racism in football in recent times, especially in Italy, and not only limited to fan behavior in the games.
In December, anti-racism artworks commissioned by Series A were widely condemned as racist for their use of monkeys. In the same month, the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport received a significant criticism by its head of "Black Friday" on a photo of black players Chris Smalling and Romelu Lukaku.
"When I was growing up in Italy, I obviously witnessed firsthand going to certain football matches and things of that nature," Bryant added.
"My parents have taught me and educated me on how to deal with such things."
Kobe Bryant