Many players will come and go, but not many will be able to manage the greatness of the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
The Mamba spent 20 years of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA Championships with the team. But the biggest thing that Kobe has always been appreciated by fans is his toughness and willingness to play through injuries. In a 2003 interview with ESPN, Kobe Bryant gave an amazing quote on not missing games despite getting injured.
“I probably won’t play tomorrow night or until I’m ready,” Kobe spoke about missing the 2003-04 NBA season opener. “But I don’t need Shaq’s advice on how to play hurt. I’ve played with IVs before, during and after games. I’ve played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don’t miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn’t that serious in the first place.”
Kobe Bryant has always been lauded for his insane mentality. There have been times when most players in the league would take some time off, but not Bryant.
It’s no surprise that Bryant played all 82 games of the regular four times in his career. If he wasn’t injury-prone, Kobe might have accomplished that feat at least a couple of more times.
Why Did Kobe Bryant Play Through Injuries?
Looking at the entire injury history of Kobe Bryant, it is evident that the Mamba may have prolonged his career by resting in the middle of the season during his career. And we are sure Bryant would have been advised by many doctors to do just that.
Despite that, Kobe always wanted to battle through injuries and be available for his team at any cost. So what was the reason behind it? His wife, Vanessa Bryant, once revealed why Bryant risked his career on numerous occasions to play games even when he was injured.
“One of the reasons why my husband played through injuries and pain was because he remembered being a little kid, sitting in the nosebleeds with his dad and watching his favorite player play. I remember asking him why he couldn’t just sit a game out because he was hurting. He said, ‘What about the fans that saved up to watch me play just once?’ He never forgot about his fans. If he could help it, he would play every minute of every game. He loved you all so much.”
No matter how skillful any player in the NBA is, at the end of the day, the fans make them great. With that being said, Kobe Bryant never forgot about his fans and tried his best to entertain them throughout his career.
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