Quentin Richardson was a Clippers player for the first 4 years of his career, but he only spotted Kobe Bryant at Staples Center.
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There’s no doubt that Kobe Bryant was one of the most dedicated athletes ever to play basketball. The man sacrificed his social life and other pursuits in order to focus his energy fully on his craft.
There were quite a few Lakers who scoffed when he said he wanted to be the greatest to ever play the game. But through 20 years of perseverance, Bryant built a legacy that’ll be almost impossible to top.
This was a man who personified the term ‘baller’ better than practically everyone for most of his playing days. He’d listen to all of the coaches, scouts and advisors around him to try and maximize his potential on the court.
This often meant that as a teenager and in his early 20s, Bryant would be on the court while his peers would be out partying. Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles are 2 players who fit in this category.
Quentin Richardson says he only saw Kobe Bryant at the Staples Center through 4 years of living in LA
Kobe Bryant was interviewed by former Clippers players Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles a few months before his death. The Lakers legend was, as every fan knows, obsessed with improving different aspects of his game.
The stories about his work ethic – how he only slept 4 hours a night, worked out at 4 AM in the morning and had 5 workouts in 2 days – they’re stuff that Q-Rich can testify to.
Richardson exclaimed at one point during their interview that he’d only seen Kobe at Staples Center:
“I was obsessive, bro… I was obsessive to the point where to me everything was a competitive advantage as well. I didn’t wanna be around guys who knew I’m not working, I don’t want that.”
