Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is known for his killer mentality and work ethic. While addressing the difference between the guard and Michael Jordan, former NBA player Stephen Jackson recalled Bryant's mentality being the biggest factor. While speaking on the "Fast Break" podcast, he said:
"I was in awe when I was guarding Mike. I've been knowing Kobe my whole life. I admired Kobe because he was the same age as me, and the dedication he put in as a teenager, I didn't think was real."
"He was just so different. We all at the McDonald's game, all there for the same reasons. We going to McDonald's after practice. 'I see y'all. I'm not eating that s**t.' This is high school, everybody eating McDonald's in high school."
Jackson was extremely animated while expressing how dedicated Bryant was towards his goals of being in the NBA. He added:
"He had a kill list at 13. I wasn't thinking like that at 13, 14, 15 years old... The difference is, Jordan is the top, but this is the closest thing to Mike, and I've seen this guy set out to be great and actually do it. When we all was the same age, a lot of us didn't get to that point. We all thought we could do to the NBA and do this, he actually did it."
Jackson noted that while he was in awe of Jordan, he remained in admiration of Bryant. His dedication to the craft was truly inspirational. The Lakers guard garnered a lot of attention, positive and negative, for his obsessive drive for perfection. While many struggled to keep up with his ludicrous work ethic, it is the aspect of himself that helped him achieve greatness.
Bryant's time in the NBA was marked by both success and failure. After winning his first NBA title in 2000 with Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers, the guard enjoyed riding the crest of being on a championship squad.
Unfortunately, this ride had to come to an end shortly after. With rising tensions between O'Neal and Bryant, the team had to make a decision, eventually opting to retain the guard.
This led to a series of failed campaigns, only leading up to the resurgence in the latter part of the 2000s, when the Lakers became a consistent title contender. And after winning the title in 2009, the Purple and Gold followed it up with another in 2010, amassing five rings with Bryant leading the side.
After a stellar 20-year career, Bryant recorded career averages of 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. In this period, Bryant had 18x All-Star appearances, 15x All-NBA selections, 12x All-Defense selections, two scoring titles, two Finals MVPs, and one MVP award, retiring from the game as one of its most decorated athletes.
The comparisons between Bryant and Jordan have been a large part of his legacy in the NBA. But his achievements and impact on the game allow him to carve out an identity of his own.
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