Kobe Bryant is one of the most loved and respected NBA players of all time. Kobe’s talent and ability were incredible, but what set him apart was his elite mentality and work ethic. But there was a time in his career he wasn’t loved for it.
After Shaquille O’Neal left the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant played on some poor rosters. He got a reputation as a ball hog who wouldn’t pass to his teammates. And then assistant coach Phil Handy revealed what Bryant said when he asked him why he was such an a**hole in 2012.
“You really wanna know? Some of my teammates don’t understand the work,” Kobe Bryant reportedly said. “I see dudes walking into practice 10 minutes before practice and they leave right after. Why the f–k am I going to pass them the basketball? I don’t respect their work ethic.
“I’m in here busting my ass every day trying to perfect my craft and these dudes don’t want to work on their game. I don’t trust them. So I’m not going to pass them the basketball. I’m gonna ride them hard every day.”
(starts at 1:13 minutes)
By the time 2012 rolled around, Kobe Bryant was vastly more established, and the criticisms were behind him for the most part. But the answer he gave goes to show the mentality he always applied every day. And that’s what made him so successful, but also ended up alienating him from some of his teammates at the time.
Kobe Bryant Wasn’t A Fan Of Shaquille O’Neal’s Work Ethic Either
Some would question why Kobe Bryant had to go at his teammates, some of whom were role players. But Kobe stuck to his guns regardless of who was in front of him. The perfect example of this is that he went at Shaquille O’Neal about his work ethic as well. During their first threepeat, Shaquille O’Neal was Finals MVP all three years. So he was arguably a bigger star than Bryant at that time. But Bryant still went at him, which shows how focused he was.
Kobe Bryant’s dedication and commitment would go on to inspire the Redeem Team and likely change the landscape of the NBA. He inspired all those who came after him with the way he approached the game. The Mamba respect hard work, after all, that is what made him one of the greatest basketball players to ever live.
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.
