Humbly at home: Our 1-on-1 interview with Panthers QB Bryce Young
Being born in the very same hospital as Kobe Bryant would be a major life event, or perhaps even the peak for most people. But to Bryce Young, it’s just another fun fact—one he doesn’t even bring up that often.
“Not necessarily,” the 21-year-old replied when asked if he ever touts that little detail. “I was raised in California—Pasadena. So I spent my whole upbringing there. I do have family in the Philly area, so I’ve always been proud to have been born there, and we go back there every once in a while to visit family.
“That is a fun fact! Maybe I don’t use that enough, as much as I should.”
Long before he was introduced to us as the new quarterback of the Carolina Panthers, Young was introduced to the world on July 25, 2001 at Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood, Pa. Located just outside of Philadelphia, Lankenau also served as the birthplace of basketball icon and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant almost 23 years prior.
So you’d think, especially being a kid growing up in Cali during the height of Bryant’s powers, that Young would’ve pulled this out on his friends a time or two . . . or like a million. Nope.
Young walks on stage after he was drafted first overall by the Panthers in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
It was that type of humility that shined through over the course of our one-on-one interview with the No. 1 overall selection. Young—who has regularly been praised for his acuity, charm and poise—was as modest as advertised that afternoon, even after a hard day of work.
Young, fresh off his first taste of mandatory minicamp, spent the earlier hours of that particular Thursday helping build a house. Literally.
Coming together with Lowe’s for their Home Team initiative and Habitat Charlotte Region, Young went out to “tackle home” in the community. The rookie passer temporarily traded in his playbook for a blueprint and pitched in to make home ownership a reality for a Mooresville native named Joya and her family.
He, in turn, then had one of his dreams framed into existence. After building up and breaking down this year’s draft facility at Union Station in Kansas City, Lowe’s presented 2023’s top pick with an actual piece of the stage he stood on to commemorate his life-changing experience.
“It’s super meaningful,” he said of the gesture. “That’s something that you dream of your whole life, and it was where your dreams come true. And me being able to walk across that stage is something that I’ll hold on to forever. Now I can have a physical piece of that, and that’s something that’s super special.”
Young getting his first look at the stage he set foot on back in April.
As for his new home in Charlotte, Young has already endeared himself to the Panthers’ faithful.
In an all-too-familiar offering that reminded many fans of the last franchise quarterback they loved, he gifted his wristband to a youngster who was attending an open session of last month’s organized team activities. He said it’s all part of showing his respect for the time and devotion people put into the organization.
“Admittedly, I didn’t really think that deep about it in the moment,” he recalled of his Cam Newton-esque giveaway. “Very important to me to be able to connect with fans and supporters ’cause it means a lot to me. It means a lot to everyone on the team. We rely on the fans—the support that they give, the energy they bring to the stadium on Sundays.”
Young, in a story he said he’s heard at least once a year from his parents, received a very early lesson about the support and energy of sports fans—and it came out of Philly, no less.
On June 10, 2001, Craig and Julie Young—two diehard Lakers fans—attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at the First Union Center. An “excited” Craig, as Bryce describes, had noticed that his back was growing increasingly wet—soon realizing that a 76ers fan positioned behind him was pouring drops of beer onto his Kobe jersey.
But Craig knew the stakes.
He was vastly outnumbered in enemy territory—one not only experiencing its first Finals appearance in nearly 20 years, but one known for being the most rambunctious in all of North American sports. Oh, and his wife was heavily pregnant with their son at the time.
Bryant shoots in front of Allen Iverson of the 76ers in the first quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals. (DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images)
So, the rest is history. Craig admirably kept his cool, Kobe dropped a team-high 32 points in a 96-91 Lakers win and Bryce—who was technically present for the eventful evening—was born six weeks later.
And Young, whose silent swagger as both a person and a player has been heralded since his days at the University of Alabama, credits Mom and Dad for his coolness.
“I definitely do think that comes from my parents, not just stories like that,” he stated. “But really, honestly from seeing my parents live their lives. Just seeing the day in, day out. My mom was a teacher, and obviously that requires a lot of patience. There’s a lot of different situations you’re put in.”
Julie has been described as “one of those teachers you hope your kid lands with at school.” She has worked as a special education pre-K teacher in Pasadena.
“I used to go and help her out a lot during the summers when she was teaching summer school,” Young added. “And I would see how she was able to handle a bunch of people pulling at her and grabbing at her and trying to get her from different angles as far as helping out different kids and helping out aides. And she would stay there, and I saw how well she operated.
“She cared about the kids that she worked with and she was able to compartmentalize, regardless of how much running around she needed to do. She was always there, she wouldn’t let that affect her mood or how she acted. She would always get the job done.”
Young throws during the Panthers minicamp. (Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)
Some may say that being a leader—much like Julie—is the art of trying to find the balance, finding the right times with each individual and what they need at that moment. It requires looking outward as opposed to looking inside.
Truth be told, it was the hometown hero who Young shares a birthplace with that said those very words. And Bryce, in yet another eerily applicable fun fact, is finding that balance in his new home.
