WARRIOR BASE, South Korea - You might think a sports fan born and raised near Washington, D.C., would be a Redskins or Wizards fan, but Sgt. Kevin Nesbitt, an information technology specialist with the Eighth Army, only has love for LA purple and gold and Philly silver and green.
“My father tried to force feed me Washington and my mother tried to feed me Dallas, so to keep the family rivalry going I picked Philadelphia,” Nesbitt said. “Basketball is my biggest thing though. I’m an avid Lakers fan.”
With the Lakers clinging on to the eighth seed in the NBA Western Conference, Nesbitt still has hopes for this season, and isn’t terribly worried about Kobe Bryant’s recent ankle injury.
“The Lakers always bounce back from turmoil, so I don’t see Kobe staying out for too long,” Nesbitt said.
With plenty of avid athletes in Korea, Nesbitt has ample opportunities to practice and hone his basketball skills, he said.
“It is good to find things you can do on post that don’t require going out all the time,” Nesbitt said. “When you’re able to put physical fitness and fun into the same exercise, it is a win-win."
Despite his energetic spirit, Nesbitt likes to slow things down and quietly enjoy classical music from time to time, he said.
“I love classical music, especially the calming aspect of it,” Nesbitt said. “A lot of people don’t realize I have a much quieter side. My great grandmother was an avid piano player so when she passed away, it was something I wanted to carry on through my family and my kids, so I learned to play.”