In 2013, Kobe Bryant, one of the NBA’s most celebrated athletes, stunned both fans and teammates with his extraordinary resilience. Despite a crippling Achilles rupture during a crucial game against the Golden State Warriors, Bryant refused to back out until he completed his two free throws.
Former Laker Brian Shaw expressed his admiration for Kobe Bryant’s unmatched threshold for pain. In an article written for The Players’ Tribune a day before Bryant’s retirement in 2016, Shaw, along with other former players, praised Kobe’s toughness.
“He has the highest threshold for pain of anybody I’ve ever met,” Shaw said, “LeBron got cramps and they carried him off the floor. Paul Pierce hurt his knee and they took him out in a wheelchair. Dwyane Wade got wheeled off after he separated his shoulder.”
He further added, “Kobe ruptured his Achilles and wouldn’t come out of the game until the trainer let him shoot his two free throws. Then he walked all the way to the locker room. He wasn’t going to let anybody wheel him off.”
“[Kobe] has the highest threshold for pain of anybody I’ve ever met. LeBron got cramps and they carried him off the floor. Paul Pierce hurt his knee and they took him out in a wheelchair. Dwyane Wade got wheeled off after he separated his shoulder.
Kobe ruptured his achilles… pic.twitter.com/94toG7oYZW
— NBAinthezone™️ (@NBAinthezone) September 23, 2023
Bryant’s enduring ability to play through severe injuries marked him as an unmatched player in the NBA. Horace Grant, a former teammate, shared the sentiment, highlighting Bryant’s quiet battle with numerous undisclosed injuries throughout his championship tenure.
“Kobe giving up those two free throws would’ve been like a little kid giving up his ice-cream cone. Forget it.” Grant said. “His ability to play through injury was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. On those championship teams, he was playing with so many injuries that people didn’t even know about. And he would never complain about it.”
Kobe Bryant’s determination vs Paul Pierce’s controversial injury
In comparison, this story reminds one incident involving Paul Pierce from the 2008 NBA Finals. Pierce was carried off the court and taken to the locker room in a wheelchair after an apparent knee injury. Followed by his quick return to the game and his team’s victory, raised questions regarding the severity of his injury, a clear contrast to Kobe Bryant’s undeniable suffering in 2013.
Can’t talk about Paul Pierce without this — the INFAMOUS wheelchair incident (2008 Finals).
Here’s the TNT crew roasting him about it: pic.twitter.com/CXAFi4vbvr
— Thomas Duffy (@TJDhoops) February 5, 2017
Gary Vitti, Los Angeles Lakers’ trainer, once disclosed Kobe’s choice to decline assistance post his Achilles tear, labeling it as a calculated response to Pierce’s 2008 incident. The difference between Pierce’s and Bryant’s conduct in the face of injury showcases Bryants’ resilience and determination.
In an era where players prioritize personal longevity, often opting to sit out games, Kobe’s passionate commitment to basketball serves as a reminder of the intense spirit of competition and unwavering courage that defined his legendary career.