After the tragic passing of Los Angeles Lakers’ great Kobe Bryant, many NBA players expressed what the Black Mamba meant to them. Whether someone has the Mamba Mentality or not is one of the sports’ most-used clichés, only a few current players can truthfully say they possess the Mamba Mentality.
The world will never see another player like Los Angeles Lakers legend, Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba dominated the league for 20 years. Not only is he a five-time NBA champion, but he is also an 18-time All-Star, 2-time Finals MVP, and was 12-times All-Defense. Just typing some of these accolades is hard to fathom.
Kobe Bryant was special in so many ways. However, what made Kobe truly unique was the killer-instinct he possessed.
While most NBA athletes would do what it took to win a game, Bryant would never let anything satisfy him. Not only would the mamba want to win a game, but he would battle for championships and would tear apart anyone that stood in his way.
Regardless of how his body was feeling or how many minutes he would play, the load was never too much for Kobe. It was almost as if Kobe would play the game he loved regardless of his ailment.
As long as he could stand, the Black Mamba was going to do whatever it took to get his team the win. This was evident when, after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon, he marched up to the free-throw line to knock down two huge free throws. There aren’t many people who could accomplish such a feat.
Following Kobe Bryant’s sudden passing, players are trying to carry on his legacy. With load management becoming more common, let’s take a look at the few guys that have shown Mamba Mentality.