- Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles against the Golden State Warriors in 2013.
- Over the course of his career, Bryant played through multiple injuries
- The Black Mamba was all about grit and relentless determination
Not many would expect an athlete to stand up and stay in action after a torn Achilles, but the late Kobe Bryant demonstrated his incredible pain tolerance level by getting up and draining a couple of free throws before hobbling off to the bench.
When asked about his ability to play through pain years later, the ‘Black Mamba’ had a perfect example to describe pain tolerance. Speaking to Patrick Bet-David, he said:
“I tell this example, and I think this is the best way to explain it. You have a hamstring injury, you pull your hamstring really, really badly. You can barely walk, let alone play anything… soccer, basketball, volleyball whatever it is, you can’t do anything.”
He then added:
“Doctor tells you to go home, sit up on the couch and rest your hammy. Stay off of it, don’t get up, and no sudden moments. You’re at home and all of a sudden a fire breaks out in the home. Your kids are upstairs, your wife is wherever she may be, and you know s**t’s going down. I’m willing to bet, that you’re going to forget about your hamstring, you’re going to sprint upstairs, you’re gonna grab your kids, you’re gonna make sure your wife’s good, you’re getting outta the house.”
“Hamsring be damned. You’re not going to feel your hamstring and the reason is because the lives of your family are more important than the injury of your hamstring. And so when the game is more important than the injury itself, you don’t feel that damn injury.”
[Starts 46:26 onwards]
The Mamba Mentality was on full display in Bryant’s words, and his approach to pain tolerance was one of the many things that set him apart from other players in the NBA. Bryant perhaps knew something was wrong when he took that tumble on the court on April 12. 2013.
With 3:08 left in the fourth quarter and the Lakers trailing 109-107, Bryant was fouled on his way to the basket, and he sat down clutching his ankle and his heel. Next thing, he was helped up and then shot two free throws from the charity stripe to even the scoreline. His 34 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists were instrumental in LA winning the game 118-116.
Imagine if Bryant didn’t make the free throws and just hobbled off, the outcome would have definitely been different for the Lakers. This speaks volumes about his ability to deal with pain, even in the most dire of circumstances.
Why Did Kobe Bryant Play Through Injury?
For Kobe Bryant, the reasons for playing despite sustaining an injury were more than just one. It was about playing for the multitude of fans who would pay their hard-earned money to come to watch him play.
“I remember, as a kid, going to games, expecting to see the players play. It never occurred to me at the time that they might be tired or sore. They might be sick. Never occurred to me. I just wanted to see them do what they do. I think about that. Doesn’t matter if I’m sick. It doesn’t matter if I have a sprained ankle. The kid that’s sitting there might be the next me, watching me, trying to get inspiration. I need to go out there and play.”
This was seconded by his wife, Vanessa Bryant who spoke of Bryant playing through the toughest of injuries. Speaking during his induction into the Hall Of Fame, Vanessa revealed an inspiring story that spoke about the lengths Bryant would go to for his fans.
“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.”
And he truly did. Bryant’s approach serves as a massive source of motivation for players and even non-athletes to put their best foot forward.
No wonder the Black Mamba is widely regarded as one of the most iconic basketball players in the world.
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