SUMMARY
- Kobe Bryant once asked a 10-year-old girl if he could go to college or compete in the NBA.
- The Lakers legend fought his way up the ladder and earned himself a starting role on the team.
Kobe Bryant is widely considered one of the greatest competitors in the NBA has ever seen. He was one of those individuals who started his career start immediately after high school. And the ultimate twist is that he once asked a 10-year-old girl to decide if he should go to college or not. But his decision to go pro stuck with him and he was selected as the No.13 overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. However, the young girl’s advice may have played a part in his eventual success.
Three years ago, Kobe Bryant gave this inspirational speech when the Lakers retired his #8 & #24 #MambaOut pic.twitter.com/CPGcHOfoKK
— OutOfSightSports🚀™️ (@OOSSports) December 18, 2020
Bryant wasn’t selected by the Los Angeles Lakers, but he was traded to LA from the Charlotte Hornets. Nobody had much belief in him and he didn’t get to play in the starting lineup for most of the season. But as soon as Bryant came into the league, he tried to learn from the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan. Bryant did everything he could to find inspiration, learn, and be better than the ones who taught him what he knew.
Kobe Bryant’s ‘Mamba Mentality’ still lives
Kobe Bryant was a brilliant mind who always strived for success through the toughest of times. During the initial parts of his career, the Black Mamba did everything he could to get recognized, which included winning the NBA Slam Dunk Contest as a rookie and leading the Lakers through a crucial playoff game. Since he was a child, Bryant always made sure he worked on a routine. As a basketball player, Bryant was the first person in the gym and the last one to leave.
These are a few characteristics that many players carry today. Take Devin Booker for example. The 27-year-old often wore sneakers that had “Be legendary” written on them. Bryant was Booker’s biggest inspiration in basketball. And those words were said by Bryant to Booker when he signed a pair of the guard’s sneakers. Devin became the first player to score 70 points in a game since Bryant did it in 2006.
Other players like Trae Young, DeMar DeRozan, and Kyrie Irving also looked up to Kobe Bryant. These are a few players who often shut out the criticism from the outside world and dominate the floor on a nightly basis. Likewise, Kobe Bryant continues to inspire a large group of individuals even years after his death.
Kobe Bryant yearned to be the greatest player of all time
There are endless amounts of stories that depict who Kobe Bryant was at heart. Several of his peers claim that the Lakers legend did anything in his power to help his team get better. As a youngster in the league, Bryant never backed down from a challenge. Jordan once told Bryant that he would never be able to fill his shoes, and it is said that Kobe never spoke to anybody for literally two weeks until revenge was served.
A teenager going at the GOAT
In the 1998 All Star game Michael Jordan battled with a 19 year old kid named Kobe Bryant and it was a battle he took serious. MJ won the battle, largely because Kobe got benched in the 4th quarter by the West head coach George Karl, something Kobe… pic.twitter.com/nOGmgDdcmF
— Whoz Meech (@WhozMEECH) February 22, 2024
Whatever it was, Kobe Bryant always came back better after his setbacks. People claimed he couldn’t win titles without Shaquille O’Neal, but he did it twice without the legendary center. Off the court, Bryant worked hard to uplift women and children in society. Bryant was an accomplished author, a successful businessman, and a proud father of four daughters. So to sum it all up, Bryant was a genuine inspiration and possibly the most influential NBA athlete ever.