WATCH: When a 17-Year-Old Kobe Bryant Displayed Mental Toughness Beyond His Years

The legacy of Kobe Bryant is incredible. His success throughout his career elevated him to levels that many people can only dream of. A five-time NBA champion and an Oscar award winner, Bryant is a legend on and off the court. This happened because of his hard work and determination. To be the best in everything he does, that’s what Kobe wanted.

In a throwback interview of a 17-year-old Bryant, he discussed the hard work he put in his game.

Kobe Bryant loves to work hard

The ability of Bryant to work hard was outstanding. Significantly, his open-mindedness helped him to become one of the greatest players of all time. He was willing to work hard and improve his game. In an old interview, the reporter asked him what he would do when people asked him to work on his game.

In typical Bryant fashion, he revealed that he’d thank the person, work on it, and make a statement in his next game.

“Next time they see me play, I’m gonna say: Hey look, I worked on it. Now what?” said Kobe.

This mentality helped him win many awards and accolades in his career with Los Angeles Lakers. Moreover, he was a huge fan of the great Michael Jordan, who once recalled the Black Mamba’s eagerness to learn.

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MJ recollects a Kobe story

What Jordan was to the 90s was Kobe in the 2000s. Both of them played in the shooting guard position while knocking down shots left, right, and center. However, Jordan recollected how he would text him in the middle of the night to ask about basketball tips.

“He used to call me, text me 11:30, 2:30, 3 in the morning. At first, it was an aggravation, but then it turned into a certain passion. This kid had passion like you would never know,” said Jordan.

This shows the gritty determination he displayed. Jordan described Kobe as his ‘little brother’ and loved what he did on the court. Thus, the stories of the Black Mamba continue to unravel. To sum up, he was one of the best players in the game’s history.

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