Kobe Bryant was one of the most dangerous players in the NBA. On his day, no one could stop Kobe from doing what he wanted to. Part of what made Kobe so dangerous was his motivation. No one was more geared up to get the win than Kobe.
Bryant was an excellent player during his time in the league. Spending his entire career with the Lakers, Kobe is considered one of the most underrated two-way players of all time. Not only was Bryant a juggernaut on the offensive end, but he was also an excellent defender.
Bryant brought incredible hustle and energy to the defensive side of the court. No one put more effort into their play than Kobe. He wanted to win at all costs and would do everything in his power to ensure that the Lakers walked away with the win.
What helped Bryant establish himself as one of the best players in the world was his basketball IQ. Kobe was always a few steps ahead of the opposition. Bryant used his intelligence to his own advantage, often getting the better of his opponents.
And that is exactly what Kobe and the Lakers did during a game against the New Orleans Hornets. During the 2012-13 season, the Lakers traveled to play the Hornets in New Orleans.
During the game, the Lakers called a timeout in the middle of the clock, so they had the ball. Seeking to take advantage of a seemingly forgetful Hornets team, the Lakers inbounded the ball in a set play.
The Hornets had seemingly forgotten that they were defending the other end of the court, and put themselves on the wrong end.
As the whistle sounded, Bryant grabbed the ball and raced down the other end of the court to dunk it and teach the Hornets a valuable lesson; always pay attention.
Kobe paid attention to the game at all times, and always made sure that he kept himself in the loop. Bryant would look for and every weakness in his opponents that he could take advantage of.
