Kobe Bryant’s work ethic was like no other player in NBA history. Only a select few could keep up with his rigorous and treacherous workouts. A former Lakers DJ took part in a session with Kobe and quickly realized what he was experiencing was not normal.
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On former Lakers legend and head coach Byron Scott’s ‘Fast Break’ Podcast, his co-host, Kid Jay, described a moment when he joined Kobe in a training session. The instance would immediately change his perception of the superstar.
“He invited me to a workout. He says, ‘Jay we’re going to be here at 4 AM.’ This was Orange County one summer. We worked out on just one area and it was just midsection. I don’t think I walked for two-three days. I never worked out with him after that,” said Kid Jay.
Kobe didn’t include Jay in a basketball workout, since the skill disparity would’ve made it impossible for him to keep up. Instead, Jay was invited to a weightlifting workout, and no punches were held back.
It was one thing to hear and witness the work ethic, which Kobe demonstrated daily. However, experiencing it firsthand was an eye-opening experience, which brought the realization for Jay of why Kobe was as great as he was.
Additionally, Scott shared a personal account attesting to the tremendous work ethic that Kobe possessed. Scott said,
“Kobe never worked out just once a day… His method was scientific. He was like, ‘B, if I work out three times a day, and all these other guys who are so-called great players work out just for practice, that one time. Over a five-year period they can’t catch me.”
As a result, many players used Kobe as a muse of inspiration to become a greater player. However, his work ethic was so strong and fierce, that in the same fashion as Jay, some teammates weren’t able to keep up.
Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe butted heads due to Bryant’s belief that the dominant big man wasn’t working as hard as he should. Bryant has gone on record to discuss how great Shaq would’ve been if he had his work ethic in an interview with Patrick Bet-David. Kobe said,
“[Shaq] would be the greatest of all time. I wish he was in the gym, I would have had f*****g 12 rings.”
Even a player of the calibre of Shaq wasn’t able to work at the same level as Kobe. This further proves a testament to how legendary Kobe’s work ethic truly was.
