Kobe Bryant was fearless. Bryant never feared anything when he was on the court. Rather than walk away from the big moments, Bryant would embrace it, and would use it to fuel him. Kobe’s mentality was a big part of what made him one of the greatest players of all time.
But as with all great players, Kobe had his fair share of detractors. But it appears Bryant didn’t seem to mind it, and actually took it as a compliment. Addressing his detractors, he noted that he thinks haters are a good problem and that only great players are hated by people.
Be great. pic.twitter.com/uBL0qcAKIx
— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) March 3, 2022
“Haters are a good problem, to have. Nobody hates the good ones. They hate the great ones.”
Kobe had confidence in himself the likes of which we haven’t seen since. Bryant knew that the detractors were hating on him purely to get a reaction out of him. But by treating their existence as a positive. And as a result, he was able to generate more fuel to drive himself to success. And the success he had in the NBA is undisputed, as he is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA.
Bryant was once asked whether he had ever lost a 1-on-1 game during practice. In classic Kobe fashion, he responded that it had never happened because winning was what he did. Bryant always believed that he was capable of taking on anyone and everyone, no matter the odds or the player he was facing off against.
Kobe’s detractors were forced to sit back and acknowledge his greatness every time he helped lead the Lakers to an NBA championship. And given the fact that Kobe did so on 5 different occasions during his career, his detractors were left with little ammunition each time he won.
