During his final years with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant was the elder statesman on the team, mentoring the next generation of players. Kobe tried to set an example for the young players on the team, but sometimes, he would also joke around with them.
Former Lakers star Julius Randle shared a story with Paul George about Kobe Bryant showing up late to a team flight once. Upon arriving late, Kobe Bryant hilariously remarked that the team should be happy that he showed up, suggesting they needed him to have a good performance in their game.
“We were waiting on the plane. Bro, it was like an hour. And the plane ain’t leaving without Kobe. He get there, everybody happy he getting on the plane, right? But we being sarcastic, we like, ‘Hey! Kobe Welcome!’ And he was like, ‘Man, y’all motherf*ckers better be glad I’m here.’ And then sat down. Didn’t say nothing the whole flight.”
Kobe may have been bantering back to his young teammates who were showcasing their sarcasm at him for arriving late. The story doesn’t seem to suggest that there was any type of malice when it came to the interaction. Bryant knew his role on the team and didn’t try to antagonize the players for poking fun at him.
Kobe Bryant Was Tough On Young Teammates
As mentioned above, Kobe was a mentor and a culture setter for his young teammates in his final years with the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant knew that he was responsible for setting an example on the team and holding these young players to the standard required to play for one of the greatest franchises in NBA history.
During this interview, Julius Randle also shed light on the infamous ‘soft as Charmin’ practice that went viral. Kobe was tough on the young Lakers players, but he did it to make sure that they put in 100% each time they were on the court, and never became complacent.
Many of the young players that got to play with Kobe, such as Julius Randle, Nick Young, and D’Angelo Russell have spoken highly about their time playing with the Black Mamba. And while their time with him was short, Kobe’s influence on these players is still felt to this day.
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