Kobe Bryant On Failure After His Infamous Airball Game: “I’m Not The Type That’s Gonna Break Easily.”

2 Min Read

Kobe Bryant was always a man of wisdom, even as an 18-year-old teenager playing basketball on the world’s biggest stage.

Though he’s no longer able to share with us in person, it is often that videos of Bryant and his “mamba mentality” make its way online, and that’s exactly what happened tonight.

In a now-viral video taken of Kobe following his infamous “airball” game in the 1997 playoffs, it shows his response when asked about how he deals with failure:

“All I remember is, I had an opportunity to win the game, and I lost it. That’s all I remember. But, you just hope to improve your game, to improve you as a person. I mean, those are things that can easily break you or they can help you grow strong. I’m not the type that’s gonna break easily. So I just put that in the memory bank, realize that I had the game in my hands, and I came up short. My team trusted in me to get the job done.”

In case you’re unaware, Bryant was the subject of heavy criticism after shooting to airballs late in a game against the Utah Jazz in the 1997 Western Conference semifinals.

The Lakers lost in five that series, and it marked the first real test of the young star’s career.

Clearly, Bryant used the moment to grow and became a better basketball player because of it.

He’d later go on to win a total of five NBA Championships and would finish his career as an 18x All-Star, 2x Scoring Champ, and 15x All-NBA player. He was truly something special.

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

TAGGED:
Share This Article
Follow:
Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *