Kobe Bryant is regarded as one of the best players to ever play the game of basketball, The Mamba left an unforgettable legacy during his 20-year career in the NBA.
After retiring from the league in 2016, the Mamba didn’t go off the grid. If anything, Kobe shared his experience from playing the NBA with others. On that note, in a 2019 interview with ESPN, Kobe shared why it’s important for kids to actively play sports.
“It teaches you a lot of valuable lessons,” Kobe said. “Aside from the physical, being fit. Aside from the mental health benefits that you get from playing sports, there’s also an emotional component to it. Sports is the greatest metaphor we have for life. Teaching you things, how to deal with anxiety, communicating with each other, leadership, performing under pressure, all those very valuable lessons.”
Kobe Bryant perfectly explained the importance of playing sports for kids. Moreover, Bryant is not making this up.
The Mamba had an unparalleled passion for the game of basketball. But he didn’t become a superstar overnight. No. Instead, Bryant honed his craft by practicing as much as possible. So much so that there were times when he’d text his teammates at 4 AM in the morning to find out about that day’s practice.
Those countless hours in the gym ultimately paid dividends for the Los Angeles Lakers legend. He retired as a five-time NBA champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, and one-time regular-season MVP. In addition, Kobe also had 15x All-NBA, 12x NBA All-Defensive, and 18x NBA All-Star honors to his name.
Considering the success that Byrant achieved with his methods, his ‘Mamba Mentality’ became a world-renowned strategy.
Kobe Bryant Once Explained Why He Played Through Injuries
As good as Kobe’s career in the NBA was, he could have achieved more if it weren’t for injuries. But a part of Bryant’s ‘Mamba Mentality’ was to play through injuries.
Was that the only reason why Kobe played through injuries? No. The Lakers legend once explained in detail behind his willingness to be on the court with minor injuries.
“I remember, as a kid, going to games, expecting to see the players play. It never occurred to me at the time that they might be tired or sore,” Bryant said. “They might be sick. Never occurred to me. I just wanted to see them to do what they do. I think about that.”
He added: “Doesn’t matter if I’m sick. It doesn’t matter if I have a sprained ankle. The kid that’s sitting there might be the next me, watching me, trying to get inspiration. I need to go out there and play.”
Nowadays, it’s rare to find players who share the same mentality as the late Kobe Bryant. It’s no surprise that Bryant played a full 82 games in the regular season four times during his career.
At the end of the day, battling through injuries all came down to make sure kids who came to watch him didn’t go back disappointed.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
