Kobe Bryant taught Julius Randle precious lessons, starting from work ethic to humbleness. The New York Knicks star shared the first years of his career with the Black Mamba, learning as much as possible from the 5-time NBA champion.
A couple of months ago, we learned about Kobe’s work ethic and his advice for Julius to work on his game as much as he could. Those words resonated with the player, who always tries to find a gym wherever he travels.
They lived plenty of good moments together, including one where Randle believed he would beat his veteran teammate only to receive 18 unanswered points in a one-on-one game.
Back in 2015, the 2021 Most Improved Player told the story of when he took a 7-3 advantage in front of Kobe only to lose the game 21-7.
“Me and Kobe, actually, I walked to the gym and he’s there getting a full workout on, full sweat. He’s just, ‘Ju, come over here,’ and I’m like ‘man, what in the world?’ He brought me over there and we’re playing 1-on-1 on the post. I was up, 7-3, we’re playing 21. And then, he beat me 21-7.”
This is another story of how competitive Kobe Bryant was. The Black Mamba always tried to challenge himself and others who wanted to become the best version of themselves.
Knowing that he just finished a workout and Randle was fresh, Kobe winning this match shows how incredible he was. Now Julius is trying to carry Kobe’s legacy, becoming one of the best players in the Eastern Conference with the Knicks.
Kobe’s impact on his life is massive, and Ju will try to come back stronger next season to prove doubters wrong just like Kobe did during his active days.
