Kobe Bryant was one of the most legendary players to ever play in the NBA. The Mamba spent 20 seasons in the league, and in most of them, he was an elite player. But during the first few years of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe struggled to find a place in the starting lineup of the team.
But that didn’t mean Kobe stopped working on his craft. If anything, Bryant worked rigorously on improving his skills and ended up becoming one of the GOATs of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kobe didn’t have many idols, but if there was one player that he looked up to, it was Michael Jordan.
Reggie Miller Once Explained How It Felt To Mentor Kobe Bryant
Reggie Miller was one of the best shooters to showcase his talents in the league. Moreover, Miller played during the era of Michael Jordan and faced off against the Chicago Bulls legend from time to time. The same can be said for his matchups with Kobe as well.
Miller and Kobe used to have the same agent during the latter’s young days in the league. The agent’s name was Arn Tellem, and he apparently asked Miller to mentor a young Kobe Bryant. When Bryant passed away in 2020, Miller shared that story with fans.
Via IndyStar:
“This is going to be a tough one for me,” Miller said of opening the segment, “because I thought I really helped raise this young man.”
Tellem wanted Miller to take “the young, flashy Philadelphia kid” and show him the ropes of the NBA and how to handle all that comes with being one of the select few who get to play the game.
From Day 1, the mentoring process told Miller everything he needed to know about Bryant’s love for the game.
“His main focus was not only to be great but he loved Michael Jordan and he wanted to be the next Jordan,” Miller said.
“You know, at that time. MJ and I were going after one another. He wanted to know about the trash talking between he and I. ‘What was that move he did against you? What was the move you did against him?'”
Plain and simple, Miller said Bryant was talking notes and he was formulating a plan.
Kobe and Miller’s relationship looked great in the beginning, but as Bryant got older, it got damaged. At the end of the day, Miller and Bryant will always be remembered as two of the greatest players in their position.
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