“When I step on the court, I am that killer snake,  I’m stone cold”: Kobe Bryant talks about earning the nickname Black Mamba

NBA legend Kobe Bryant talks about being a different animal when he steps on the hardwood and his killer instinct.

It’s been two years since we lost one of the greatest basketball players in a horrifying accident. However, his legacy and teachings continue to inspire millions. Kobe Bryant was a different beast on the court, a basketball institution in itself, the Black Mamba never backed down from a challenge.

Kobe’s excessive competitive zeal to succeed and work ethic made him one of a kind. We all know about the Lakers guard making 2000 shots during the summers, trying to develop his jumper. He would be the first to arrive at the gym and last to leave. Such was his dedication to the game of basketball.

Kobe was a true student of the game and had one of the highest basketball IQs. The superstar would often clash with his teammates during practice. His former teammate Shaquille O’Neal revealed the following in his book.

“You’d walk in there and he’d be cutting and grunting and motioning like he was dribbling and shooting — except there was no ball. I thought it was weird, but I’m pretty sure it helped him.”

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Talking about his competitive drive to succeed, Kobe once spoke about him having a different personality on the court that was on the lines of a killer snake.

Kobe Bryant talks about earning the nickname Black Mamba.

The term Black Mamba has become synonymous with Kobe over the years. The eighteen-time All-Star had a killer mentality on the court and never let the outside noise seep into him. The Lakers guard was a top-notch defender, having 9 All-NBA First Defensive Team selections.

“There’s a difference between who you are and what you are, and when I step on the court, I am that killer snake — I’m stone cold.”

Via: Mamba Insider

Kobe has inspired a host of the current generation superstars in the NBA, who look up to the Lakers legend. Players like Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, Chris Paul, and Trae Young never forget to honor Kobe during a special performance.

In his 20 seasons in the NBA, Kobe won all the accolades in the NBA book. The superstar has a league MVP, two Finals MVPs, two scoring titles, four ASG MVPs, five NBA championships, and is part of the NBA’s 75th-anniversary team.

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Though Kobe’s not with us today, his legacy will live till eternity.