Kobe Bryant, often referred to as the Black Mamba, was more than simply a basketball star. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers for the entirety of his 20-year career after entering the NBA right out of high school, which is an exceptional feat in and of itself. Bryant accumulated a wealth of honors throughout his career, including five NBA titles, two MVP awards for the NBA Finals, and a regular-season MVP honor. Kobe Bryant had established himself as one of the best athletes of all time owing to his unmatched skills and relentless drive. However, it was his ‘Mamba mentality’ that set him apart.

Kobe Bryant inspired many with his Mamba mindset. A 33-year-old veteran of the Chicago Bulls is just one of them. Having looked up to Kobe while growing up, the veteran now mentors his younger teammates. This left NBA fans filled with pride – and they were sure to let him know that.

A Chicago Bulls veteran takes on the role of a mentor

Hailing from Compton, California, DeMar DeRozan thought highly of the Lakers and looked up to his childhood hero, Kobe Bryant. Being a fan of Kobe, he got lucky when he had the opportunity to meet him. When DeRozan was still in high school, he attended Bryant’s basketball camp. This encounter led to Kobe taking a young DeRozan under his wing and teaching him not only his signature skills but also the Mamba Mentality.

DeRozan’s commitment to his skill and Mamba Mentality paid off. The Toronto Raptors selected him as the ninth overall choice in the 2009 NBA Draft. DeRozan initially struggled during his rookie season, but by his second season, his scoring average had doubled, and by his fifth season, he had developed into a reliable 20-point scorer.

Before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs as part of the Kawhi Leonard deal, DeRozan played for the Raptors for four seasons and made four All-Star appearances. Gregg Popovich, a renowned coach, oversaw him for two seasons before trading him to the Chicago Bulls. DeRozan set a career-high scoring average of 27.9 points per game in his debut season with the Bulls. He developed a reputation for being the finest fourth-quarter scorer in the league and an expert at the mid-range game.

DeRozan passed 20,000 career points last October, marking a historic milestone that cemented his spot among the NBA’s all-time leading scorers. Now being one of the veteran members of his team, he passes on his Mamba Mentality to his teammates in his own way.

DeRozan has accepted a mentorship position as one of the more experienced players on the Bulls’ team. Patrick Williams and Dalen Terry are two of his younger colleagues among many who he takes satisfaction in coaching. DeRozan has offered guidance through interactions, attempting to show them the way to progress. As he is aware of the influence more experienced players had on him when he was younger and hungry to learn, he loves the chance to serve as a mentor.

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Meanwhile, DeRozan’s “Mamba Mentality” managed to captivate NBA fans.

The NBA World is left in awe of Demar DeRozan

Demar DeRozan’s coaching efforts caught the attention of NBA fans. They were really moved by DeRozan’s gesture.

A fan commented,?“Kobe lookin down proud ??”

Other reactions include:

“Picked up that trait from my boy Kobe bean Bryan mamba mentality ?”

“DeMar has really helped the young guys grow their games. Last year Coby White took a huge jump in becoming a guy who can do more than score, and now I’m hoping that him and Pat/Dalen can improve”

“i really like this, demar teaching kids who want to be great. not much of those anymore”

A fan commented about how he’ll fit right in for the role of a coach: “I feel like Demar is gonna be like a ? assistant coach or coach in the future once he retires”

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“Demar is one of the few actual HOOPERS in the league who live breath and bleed basketball. You can just tell he?s in the gym for like 15 hours a day”

“Demar has the smoothest game in the league man”

What are your thoughts on DeMar DeRozan’s Mamba mentality learnt straight from Kobe Bryant himself? Tell us in the comments!