Joe brought Kobe with him from Leti to Trieste, and at the Patatrieste Arena, he witnessed the earth-shattering duel between Ah Gan and Michael Jordan.
Both players shattered the backboard on the same side of the court twice, with Jordan breaking it in the first half and Ah Gan in the second half, causing the game to be interrupted and unable to continue.
After both players returned to the locker room, Joe found Larry Flesher, who was at the sidelines watching the game. When Joe first came to Italy to play basketball, it was through Flesher's connection.
This chairman of the Player's Union was generous and enthusiastic, with connections like none other. When Joe expressed his wish to have his son meet Ah Gan and Jordan, Flesher readily agreed and took them to the backstage locker room.
Kobe's recollection: