“But it’s certain players that have something aura about them, some mystique about them that’s just different, and that was Kobe.” That’s how a former Lakers player described late legend Kobe Bryant. He was known for being two steps ahead of the opponents, and not backing down from any challenge. The ‘Mamba Mentality‘ still lives on and only a few players were lucky enough to spend personal moments with the 5x Champion, and one of them was Jimmy Jackson.

“Got a chance to not only play with him but spend some intimate moments and time with him off of the court.” Jackson appeared on the ‘Mark Jackson Show’. “Whatever it was I really got a chance to peer and unlift the veil a little bit and understand the number 8, the number 24, the young man more so than just the basketball player.”

So Jackson was proud of the fact that he got to spend some time with Kobe Bryant. The 14-season veteran knew ‘Black Mamba’ liked having steak, so they explored a few places. “On about the second or third time, the bodyguards were like ‘Jimmy, pull it to the side need to talk to you. I was like what’s up he’s like ‘You know Kobe really don’t do that.'” The statement puzzled even Jackson, who asked the bodyguard for clarification.

And that’s when the bodyguards spoke with Jackson about Kobe’s behavior of not spending time with his teammates. “‘The really go out and hang out with teammates,‘” said on episode 78. It was simply because the Lakers legend wanted everybody to match his competitive drive. And if they didn’t, they faced serious consequences.

Another former Lakers player Nick Young once shared that Kobe Bryant would challenge his teammates. Not just during the games, but also in practice by showing up extraordinarily early to workouts and thus expecting the same level of commitment from them. What if the teammates failed to earn Kobe’s respect?

Kobe Bryant wouldn’t mince his words even to his teammates

Since the Shaquille O’Neal trade, the 5x NBA Champion was already a villain in many news headlines. Kobe Bryant did not give any heed to it, as he wanted to establish his supremacy. Jeff Teague, who once refused to play for the Lakers, saw the wrath unleashed but it was not completely about him. It happened because Kobe Bryant had informed the front office to sign the Hawks player but the move did not materialize. Instead, he got the replacement player Jeremy Lin.

The 18x All-Star wanted to build the right team after the last playoff appearance in 2012. So, in 2014, when Teague was chosen and he refused due to the taxation issues, Kobe Bryant did not take it kindly and Lin faced the music when Kobe Bryant later took the floor against Teague.

“We played him [Kobe], he had Jeremy Lin. In the middle of the game, he was like, ‘You left me out here with this sh*t…I told them to go and get you. Were you scared?'” The Wake Forest graduate recalled his experience during a ‘Gil’s Arena‘ episode. There are plenty more stories about Kobe not gelling with his teammates. But with the people he did spend time with, they still remember him fondly. Just like Jimmy Jackson, who only appeared for 16 games for the Purple and Gold franchise, but was fortunate enough to know the real Kobe Bryant.

“Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.”