New York Knicks: 3 things to know about new hire Frank Zanin

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 28: The Philadelphia 76ers honor former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who passed away in a helicopter crash, by placing his Lower Merion High School jersey on the court prior to the game between the Golden State Warriors at the Wells Fargo Center on January 28, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

1) Relationship with Kobe Bryant

Sometimes you are most famous for who you know. Frank Zanin grew up in the Philadelphia area where he played high school basketball against the late Kobe Bryant.

When Billy King was fired as GM of the Nets in 2016, Kobe made a public appeal for Zanin to take over the lead spot.

Hope to see you in the GM seat for the @BrooklynNets @F1E2Z you have a great basketball mind and it's time you get your shot #gogetit
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) January 26, 2016

Frank, and his brother T.J., who also worked as a scout for the Nets, played for the Marple Newton Tigers in a Philadelphia suburb. They competed against Kobe Bryant’s high school team, the Lower Merion Aces.

Zanin was known for his relentless defense, often times matched up against Kobe in their high school battles. During one contest in 1994, Kobe reached the 1,000 point mark against Zanin.

“We’re good friends off the court. But this was for first place,” Kobe said in typical Kobe fashion.

Frank Zanin and Kobe Bryant Wed, Dec 21, 1994 – Page 113 · The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) · Newspapers.com /

While playing for Marple Newton, Zanin became a 1,000 point scorer and led them to a school-record 23 wins. He was inducted into the school Hall-of-Fame in 2019.

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