For J.J. McCarthy, the upcoming NFL Draft seems to provide him with a lot of drama. With his former mentor, Jim Harbaugh, coming up with the best plotline to draft him elsewhere and not in his Los Angeles Chargers team, the quarterback is yet to figure out his next destination. Amidst the tumult, it is now time for some self-motivation.
And who is a better motivator than the late legend Kobe Bryant? A few hours back, McCarthy shared a reel on his Instagram story where the NBA legend is seen sharing some words of motivation.
Impact of Bryant’s word of wisdom on McCarthy
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Even though fans can no longer connect with Bryant in this physical world, they take refuge in the videos when he was alive. Going through the archives, McCarthy shared one such video in his Instagram story. In the clip, the interviewer asks the NBA legend a question, “There’s two types of players — players who love to win and players who hate to lose, which one are you?”
Bryant replied, “I’m neither. Me neither uh, meaning that I play to figure things out… I think it’s a weakness either way… fear of failing you’ll have the pressure in yourself to play. You know to capitulate to that fear. If you play with the sense, ‘I wanna win’ then you have the fear of what happens with you don’t… Stay in the moment, stay connected through it.” With the NFL Draft less than a month away, tensions are rising within McCarthy. Going by the speculations, he could be a first-round pick that will make his path ahead yet more challenging, considering the expectations.
McCarthy’s path ahead
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Expectations have been soaring for McCarthy since he won a national championship for the Michigan Wolverines. However, since he is the youngest of the group and only started with 28 games in college, at the same time, he was considered a less polished prospect. Gradually, he got rid of all those doubts by bringing into the matches his NFL-caliber arm and solid athleticism.
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McCarthy set an impressive record in the NFL Combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds. Even though his next landing spot is clouded with confusion, he will be a Top 10 selection in April. According to the latest updates, the New York Giants will travel to Ann Arbor for a private workout with McCarthy. On the other hand, McCarthy’s meeting with the New England Patriots “went amazing.”
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With the buzz surrounding McCarthy, Bryant’s words to live in the moment will come in hand no matter where he lands. As highlighted by the legend, he will now adhere to a familiar path, where there will be no fear of winning or losing; he will just learn new things.
