It requires a certain amount of ego to become a professional athlete. However, too high an ego can prevent a player from reaching their full potential. Former NBA sniper Craig Hodges experienced this personally. He believes the league blacklisted him, likely because he wasn’t one to hold back his opinion. As a shooting coach, though, Hodges found Kobe Bryant receptive to his methods and changed the Lakers legend’s shooting mentality.
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Hodges’ final season in the NBA came in 1992 when the Bulls inexplicably waived the three-time three-point contest champion. What made the situation more peculiar was that no other team wanted to give Hodges a chance.
The 6-foot-2 guard carried strong political and social justice views. He believes his ties to activism and criticism of other Black athletes is why he didn’t receive another NBA contract. Regardless, his knowledge of shooting the ball never dwindled.
Kobe Bryant sought out Hodges’ wisdom to improve his shooting ability. One of the biggest tips the two-time champion gave Bryant wasn’t about his mechanics but his mentality. On the ALL THE SMOKE podcast, Hodges revealed what he changed to take Kobe to the next level.
“When I was working with Kobe, I had to remind him our word was extension,” Hodges said. “Kobe shot so many balls. He’s not just shooting them but thinking about shooting them.”
Bryant always thought about the next possession and the next jump shot. Hodges implored Bryant to break that habit. Instead, he taught Kobe to focus on one shot at a time. This improved Bryant’s mental focus, which ultimately propelled him into the best version of himself.
“I want to make sure I have all the bases covered,” Hodges proclaimed regarding Kobe’s shooting ability. “It’s going to be ugly.”
Hodges served as the Lakers’ shooting coach from 2005 to 2011. His contributions to the team, and specifically to Bryant, were considerable. The Lakers went on to win two championships with Hodges among the coaching staff.
His NBA career ended prematurely as a player, but Hodges still found a way to make an impact. His teachings certainly helped Kobe, who took those tips and taught it to younger generations.
