Lakers’ legend Kobe Bryant once explained how he was able to stay so calm and collected during clutch times
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Whenever one thinks of Kobe Bryant, one always thinks of his killer mentality. Kobe was THE player during the 2000s, dominating the entire decade. He won 5 championships in the decade. Kobe ruled the hearts of millions of fans, and even better, instilled fear in the hearts of the opponents.
All throughout the 2000s, Kobe was the most feared player in the league, and opponent coaches used to dread matching up against the Mamba. Even though the Lakers were not the same since Shaquille O’Neal left, as long as Kobe was on the court, the Lakers were never out of the game.
Kobe’s will to win was always backed up by the countless hours he spent in the gym, working on his game.
Kobe Bryant talks about the source of his confidence in clutch situations
Kobe is widely regarded as one of the most clutch players of all time. He holds the record for most shots made in a clutch situation, having made 36 such shots. During an interview, Kobe talked about the confidence he displayed during such situations.
“The confidence comes from preparation. When the game’s on the line, I’m not asking myself to do something I haven’t done thousands of times before. So, in those moments, if I look like I’m ice-cold or not nervous, it’s because I’ve done it thousands of times before, so what’s one more time.”
Mamba was always the first one to get to the gym, and the last to leave. He put in all the work, and it surely paid off. His killer mentality, backed up by the hours he’d put in the gym, just made him an unstoppable force on the court. Kobe was one of a kind, and it’s highly unlikely we would see another player of his caliber in our lifetimes.
