Kobe Bryant on How Playing With Dwyane Wade in the USNT Helped Him Improve His Game

Kobe Bryant is a name that is cherished by all in the NBA community. The ‘Mamba’ during his 20-year stint with the Los Angeles Lakers gave fans several exciting moments. These included 5 titles, an MVP award, and exciting scoring performances where he dominated the opposition. His heroics for the ‘Purple and Gold’ earned him a place in the Basketball Hall-Of-Fame as well as in the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.

As much as Kobe was known for his offense, he was also a defensive phenom. He was named 9 times in the NBA’s All-Defensive first team and thrice in the All-Defensive second team. This makes him the player with the second-highest All-Defensive team selections in NBA history. Although he was a prolific player overall, there were a few things that he picked up from other players. One of these players was Dwyane Wade. In his book ‘Mamba Mentality – How I Play,’ Kobe described how Dwyane Wade helped improve his game.

Kobe Bryant Learns From Dwyane Wade

The USA Men’s National Basketball team has always been star-studded. There was a point where the team featured the likes of players, such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Kobe himself. As Kobe mentions in his book, the USA team that included a lineup of NBA stars allowed Bryant to focus more on defense rather than scoring. He then went on to mention how great players like Wade helped him on the defensive end of the game, too.

“I was able to single-mindedly focus, like I’d always yearned to, on playing defense. It let me focus on putting opponents in straitjackets and erasing them from the game,” said Bryant.

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“D Wade and I would always talk about the technique of stealing the ball. He was great at reading passing lanes, and I was great at locking down on the ball, so I would force my man into the corner while D Wade would look to pick o the pass,” explained Bryant.

Furthermore, Bryant mentioned how he enjoyed playing with Wade due to his explosiveness. It is pretty clear that Bryant was able to benefit the team by understanding Wade’s defensive strategy. He was then able to work in tandem with Wade and bring success to the team.

Kobe and Wade in the NBA

Both Kobe and Wade spent plenty of years in the NBA. Unlike Bryant, who spent 20 years with the

Lakers, Wade would spend most of his career with the Miami Heat, apart from two seasons where he played for the Bulls and Cavs.

Kobe Bryant vs Dwyane Wade – Player Comparison 

Furthermore, both stars are title winners, with Kobe earning 5 for the Lakers and Wade earning 3 for the Heat.

The duo even had plenty of battles in the NBA, 20 to be precise. Although they battled hard with each other, it was Wade who came out with the upper hand with 11 wins. Regardless, both players are considered as some of the best to step on the NBA floor. They have left behind a legacy that others will try to emulate.

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