- Kobe Bryant was one of the most cerebral players in the NBA
- He spoke about trying to target players who didn’t sign a max contract to provoke the superstar teammate
- He noted that this action would cause a lot of division among teams
Kobe Bryant was one of the experts in the NBA when it came to playing mind games.
As much as Kobe was a dominant force physically, it was his ability to unnerve his opponents and get under their skin and make them question themselves that made him one of the most dangerous players on the court.
In an older interview, Kobe Bryant explained a tactic he and the Lakers used to unnerve their opponents. Kobe explained that he and the Lakers would target the second-best player on the team who was set to enter free agency.
They would then pay little attention to the player with a max contract. This would annoy the player with the max contract and cause division within the teams.
“There would be certain teams that had a player to a max contract. Then the supporting player who was up for free agency who hadn’t signed yet…”
“Okay, this is what we’re gonna do. We’re going to double-team the guy that hasn’t gotten the max contract yet. We’re not gonna let him get a shot off.”
“Then we’re gonna single cover the guy that has the max contract. Then, watch the guy that doesn’t have the max contract b*tch and complain all night long.”
“And just watch them divide each other. And those are little subtle things that we would do. That simply comes from observation and understanding your opponent.”
Kobe was an absolute master when it came to mind games, and could cause any player in the league to doubt themselves or their teammates, with just a few words and actions.
Kobe Bryant’s ‘Mamba Mentality’ Was On Another Level
Kobe Bryant’s mentality allowed him to dominate the game on both a physical and mental level. He was able to perform at an incredible level on the court. But it was his mentality that allowed him to push himself beyond seemingly-human limits.
During his career, Bryant’s numbers were always sensational. During his incredible 20-year career, Kobe averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.
Bryant was able to win 5 NBA championships, 2 Finals MVPs, and a regular-season MVP during his career.
On top of that, he was an 18-time All-Star and was selected to 15 All-NBA Teams and 12 All-Defensive Teams, including 11 All-NBA First Teams, and 9 All-Defensive First Teams.
Bryant’s mentality allowed him to maintain focus better than anyone else. A recent clip has shown how Kobe Bryant was the only player not to get frightened by a mascot, simply walking past it without any reaction.
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