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Kobe Bryant: 5 Things We’ll Miss Most About The Mamba

By Carter Johnson

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after scoring 60 points against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on April 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Bryant played his last game as a Laker and retired from basketball. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after scoring 60 points against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on April 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Bryant played his last game as a Laker and retired from basketball. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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Jan 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

The Work Ethic

Most fans can appreciate Bryant because of the tremendous amount of work he put into his game.

From challenging himself to make 400 shots a day in shooting practice to working on the same shot hundreds of times, Bryant’s obsession with repetition and detail was key to his sustained success. Teammates would often marvel at how hard Bryant worked, as he would usually be in a full sweat by the time they walked in to practice.

Bryant, like Michael Jordan before him, was infamous for demanding the same level of effort out of his teammates, which led to infamous clashes with fellow superstars in Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard. While his work ethic was deterring or even intimidating, it only made fans love him more because it was a true testament to how much passion he had for the game.

Bryant was always looking to get a new edge on opponents in practice and was willing to go the extra mile to get it. Most notably, he was among the first to seek counsel from Hakeem Olajuwon to improve his post game, a move that would be mimicked by the likes of LeBron James, Howard and Blake Griffin in the years to come.

The Mamba’s legendary work ethic not only endeared him to fans, but pushed his teammates and opponents to put the work in to get the best out of themselves just as he did day in and day out.

Next: The Basketball IQ

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