Perhaps the most lasting impact of Kobe Bryant‘s legacy is his work ethic and “Mamba Mentality.” A number of today’s NBA players cite the late Los Angeles Lakers legend as someone who has inspired them to adopt a robust work ethic and do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals.
All-Star point guard Nick Van Exel played with Bryant during the latter’s first two seasons in the NBA. He saw how raw Bryant was in the beginning, but he also saw the qualities that would eventually lead Bryant to the highest level of basketball greatness. He recalled how intense and dedicated Bryant was during an appearance on “Out the Mud” with Tony Allen and Zach Randolph.
“Kobe always used to say ‘I’m the best one on one player in the league,'” Van Exel said. “And this is like as an 18-year-old. Practices were crazy, because Kobe always felt like he was a one on one player, and being young — we’ve all been young, we’re trying to come for whoever’s up there — and that’s how he felt. He wanted Eddie’s [Jones] spot, he wanted [Cedric] Ceballos, he wanted all them cats at that wing position.
“And what you don’t realize is that it’s about the team, and Kobe was so young, and we had so many guys that were more ready to win a championship. He wasn’t ready to win a championship at that age. When I say that, people get mad, but I’m not hating on Kobe. When you’re talking about a championship team, there’s levels. You’ve gotta go through the gauntlet, you don’t just automatically wake up because you got a good team and win a championship. You’re gonna get your ass whooped. And that’s what happened to him a little bit, he shot the airballs, had the scrutiny.
“But with him, he ain’t let it stop him. That’s why when he shot the airballs, we got back to L.A. and he went straight to the gym and started shooting and got better. I played with Manu [Ginobili] and Dirk [Nowitzki] and those are the two guys I would say worked the hardest, but Kobe ran laps around them when it comes to working. It wasn’t even close. His work ethic was stupid. And that was at a young age, I can’t imagine what he was like with Shaq (Shaquille O’Neal) when they started winning. He used to go on the sidelines after practice, take our four men, and play one on one against them. But they wouldn’t play offense, only defense. Sean Rooks rest in peace, Elden Campbell rest in peace, Corie Blount, they played defense. If he scored, he got a point, if he didn’t score, they got a point. His work ethic was unbelievable. I hate these young cats now that say Mamba Mentality and don’t work. I hate it. Because I know what he did and I know the work he put in.”
“Kobe always used to say ‘I’m the best one on one player in the league,'” Van Exel said. “And this is like as an 18-year-old. Practices were crazy, because Kobe always felt like he was a one on one player, and being young — we’ve all been young, we’re trying to come for whoever’s up there — and that’s how he felt. He wanted Eddie’s [Jones] spot, he wanted [Cedric] Ceballos, he wanted all them cats at that wing position.
“And what you don’t realize is that it’s about the team, and Kobe was so young, and we had so many guys that were more ready to win a championship. He wasn’t ready to win a championship at that age. When I say that, people get mad, but I’m not hating on Kobe. When you’re talking about a championship team, there’s levels. You’ve gotta go through the gauntlet, you don’t just automatically wake up because you got a good team and win a championship. You’re gonna get your ass whooped. And that’s what happened to him a little bit, he shot the airballs, had the scrutiny.
“But with him, he ain’t let it stop him. That’s why when he shot the airballs, we got back to L.A. and he went straight to the gym and started shooting and got better. I played with Manu [Ginobili] and Dirk [Nowitzki] and those are the two guys I would say worked the hardest, but Kobe ran laps around them when it comes to working. It wasn’t even close. His work ethic was stupid. And that was at a young age, I can’t imagine what he was like with Shaq (Shaquille O’Neal) when they started winning. He used to go on the sidelines after practice, take our four men, and play one on one against them. But they wouldn’t play offense, only defense. Sean Rooks rest in peace, Elden Campbell rest in peace, Corie Blount, they played defense. If he scored, he got a point, if he didn’t score, they got a point. His work ethic was unbelievable. I hate these young cats now that say Mamba Mentality and don’t work. I hate it. Because I know what he did and I know the work he put in.”
As a rookie, Bryant was played inconsistently and performed erratically, but in the Lakers’ final playoff game that year, which was Game 5 of the second round versus the Utah Jazz, he was given the ball with a chance to win the game. He shot an airball, and in the ensuing overtime period, he shot multiple other airballs as L.A. lost.
That experience may have devastated many other players for a long time. But it only motivated Bryant, and just three years later, he and O’Neal were celebrating their first of three straight NBA championships.
The rest, as they say, was history.
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