While his talent on the court was nearly unparalleled, it was Kobe Bryant’s mentality that set him apart from the rest. Kobe Bryant was more determined and driven than any other player he ever faced.

It didn’t matter what the circumstances in front of him were, Bryant was ready and prepared to overcome them. Kobe knew in his mind that there was no one who could try and stop him, not even himself or his body.

In an interview after his playing days, Kobe Bryant spoke about the difficulties he faced with injuries. Bryant was always famous for never walking away from any injuries.

When talking about injuries, Kobe said that if winning in the big moments is very important to you, then you will be able to overcome the pain from the injuries and play at the highest level in spite of it.

“If winning is that important to you, then the injuries don’t matter.”

Kobe Bryant’s mentality was next-level, and he was ready to sacrifice anything and everything, even his own body, in order to achieve his goals. We have heard numerous stories of Kobe playing through grave injuries in order to finish the game and get his team the win.

Kobe playing through his injuries was often rewarded with championship success. Bryant may be one of the few players in history who was able to play through injuries and not sacrifice his quality of play.

Bryant’s career was legendary, as he was able to win 5 NBA championships, 2 Finals MVPs, a regular-season MVPs, and multiple All-Star nominations across his career. And he is also one of three players to lead the NBA in scoring and make an All-Defensive team.

Kobe was someone who put a lot of stock in legacy, and did everything he could to protect his legacy, even if it meant playing through the pain. And that is why he will go down as one of the greatest of all time.