Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was always known for his intensity.
Kobe Bryant was not one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball by accident. Bryant had a work ethic and mindset that was unmatched by anyone else not named Michael Jordan and that is why Bryant helped bring five championships to the Los Angeles Lakers.
It started far before Bryant was a member of the Lakers as well. Kobe was a highly-touted prospect coming out of high school and was well-regarded enough to be selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft.
Shortly before becoming a professional basketball player, though, Bryant led Lower Merion High School to a state championship, averaging over 30 points with 12 rebounds in the process.
The Mamba Mentality was not something that Kobe created to become a professional, it was something that he was born with. Jason Dumas, sports director of Kron4 News in the Bay Area (and Philly native) shared a story from a personal friend that exhibits Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mentality from a young age.
https://twitter.com/JDumasReports/status/1295801584983523329
It has been well documented that Bryant was invited to practice with the Philadelphia 76ers while he was still in high school and played one-on-one against Jerry Stackhouse. What was not well documented was the crazy lengths Bryant would go to be at his best, including blaring the heater after a workout in 90-degree weather.
That is why Kobe Bryant is a Los Angeles Lakers legend
This tidbit is quite funny when you put it into perspective but is not a surprise in the slightest. This is the exact reason why Kobe left the legacy that he did and why he was so successful in everything he touched.
He was always the hardest worker in the room. He was built differently. While other guys would coast on their natural talent, Bryant was always looking to get better. Whether it was basketball, film-making, or any of his business endeavors, Kobe’s goal was always to be the absolute best.
And as this little tidbit reminds us, he was doing everything possible to make sure he was the absolute best, even when nobody was really watching. This was not something he did in the public eye or something to build his brand image. This is who Kobe Bryant was as a person and it is why he is so beloved.
Kobe Bryant was just built differently.