‘Don’t Smile’: Former Lakers Teammate Reveals How Kobe Bryant Wasn’t Interested to Celebrate Their 2009 Conference Finals Win

Very few teams can boast about possessing a ruthless winning mentality over a period of time. During the late 2000s, the Los Angeles Lakers under Kobe Bryant had that mental strength. The team was strong enough on the court; but their ability to remain rock-solid in the mind elevated them from the rest of the field. The combination of mental and physical toughness brought them numerous titles over the years.

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in 2009 were a force of nature

The late Kobe Bryant, on his day, was one of the most daunting sportspeople to come up against. Yet, the Kobe Bryant off the court was one of the most simple, caring, inspiring figures. What made the Lakers legend special was his innate desire to succeed. The former All-star had what was called ‘elite mentality’, which was the confidence to win irrespective of external hindrances.

In the 2009-10 season, the Los Angeles Lakers built an empire of sorts. Under head coach Phil Jackson, the Lakers played an attacking style of basketball. Moreover, the demeanor with which the Lakers walked out on the court sent shivers down opposition spines. From 2008-2010, the men in yellow reached three consecutive NBA Finals, winning two titles. Kobe himself averaged almost 27 points in the duration but instilled a thought process in the team that cannot be taught by the common man.

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Josh Powell on Kobe’s words after 2009-10 Western Conference win

After securing the Western Conference title, the Lakers received the trophy but did not seem overly pleased. That was the elite mentality of the side; they believed they hadn’t yet finished the job. Former player Josh Powell was part of the 2009-1o winning side and spoke out about what Kobe Bryant said after the Conference victory.

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Appearing on a podcast, Powell said,?“We didn’t come here to win a Western Conference Championship. We came to finish the job, so when the game was over with and before the media and stuff like that, he [Kobe] was like don’t smile. We’re gonna let everybody know that we mean business. And it just came out looking like that; it was crazy!”

The Lakers went on to win the Finals and engrave their names in the record books. This time around, they did have a big smile on their faces. It was a victory to remember, and one that Kobe Bryant and the squad cherished with all their hearts!