Happy Monday!
I know it was only 4 weeks ago when I wrote about Kobe, but this week I am doing it again as a tribute to him. RIP Kobe & Gigi (Kobe’s daughter who was with him in the crash)
I don’t think I need to give a brief about Kobe since he is a legend but if you still want to know, you can read it in my earlier post here. (You should definitely read that and come back here as I have put in all new stuff and nothing is repeated)
1 STORY FOR YOU
Mamba Mentality
John Celestand was part of the NBA for one season and won the championship that solitary year with the Los Angeles Lakers. He wrote a column about Kobe and his extreme competitiveness on his personal blog in 2005.
"The first time I began to understand why he was the best was in the pre-season. In a game against the Wizards, Kobe broke the wrist on his shooting hand. He was always the first person to practice every day, arriving at least an hour and a half early. This would infuriate me because I wanted to be the first person to practice, just as I had always been at Villanova and Piscataway High in New Jersey. To add insult to injury, I lived only 10 minutes from the practice facility -- while Kobe was at least 35 minutes away.
"I am ashamed to say that I was excited the day after his injury because I knew that there was no way that No. 8 (as former Laker point guard Tyronn Lue called him) would be the first to practice, if he would even be there at all.
"As I walked through the training room, I became stricken with fear when I heard a ball bouncing. No, no, it couldn’t be! Yes, it could. Kobe was already in a full sweat with a cast on his right arm and dribbling and shooting with his left."
2 QUOTES FROM HIM
I'm reflective only in the sense that I learn to move forward. I reflect with a purpose.
I'll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it's sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot.
3 LEARNINGS FOR YOU
Be a ruthless competitor
Kobe talked about how he prepared to face one of the greatest players he ever encountered: Allen Iverson. He became obsessed with Allen, Kobe writes, going so far as to study the hunting techniques of great white sharks. Anything to get an edge -
Working harder wasn’t enough.
I had to study this man maniacally.
I obsessively read every article and book I could find about AI. I obsessively watched every game he had played, going back to the IUPU All-American Game. I obsessively studied his every success, and his every struggle. I obsessively searched for any weakness I could find.
I searched the world for musings to add to my AI Musecage.
This led me to study how great whites sharks hunt seals off the coast of South Africa.
The patience. The timing. The angles.
On Feb 20, 2000, in Philadelphia, PJ gave me the assignment of guarding AI at the start of the second half. No one knew how much this challenge meant to me.
I wanted him to feel the frustration I felt.
I wanted everyone who laughed at the 41 and 10 he put on me to choke on their laughter.
A fascinating glimpse into the mind of a ruthless competitor.
Obsessed to prove the early doubters wrong
Kobe and Chris Sacca started a fund and Chris suggested they name it “Lowercase Mamba” but Kobe replied - “Nah, Lowercase 13”
Why 13?Because he couldn’t believe they drafted 12 motherfuckers before him.
He had rings & MVPs but he still obsessed over those early doubters.
Becoming Obsessive
Kobe didn't just invest his time and sweat into basketball — he dedicated himself in every way to becoming one of the best. "If you want to be great in a particular area," he once said, "you have to obsess over it. A lot of people say they want to be great, but they're not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve greatness. They have other concerns, whether important or not, and they spread themselves out."
There was no hiding Kobe's deep love for basketball, and that’s exactly the mentality you must have if you want to become the best in your niche. Embrace your passion, your obsession, and use it to reach heights others can't.
Fall in love with the process of what you do. If you’re only in it for the money, fame or accolades, you’re not going to make it very far.
That’s it from me, until next Monday!
Would love to know if you have any feedback or want me to write about someone who you think is amazing at what they do! Please share it if you liked the post!