Being among the very few players who entered the NBA straight out of high school, Kobe Bryant managed to surpass any and all expectations set for him. At a very young age, Kobe established himself as one of the greatest players in the game.
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Having played for the Los Angeles Lakers for two decades, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard preached his famous “Mamba Mentality” ideology to his millions of fans from around the world. Using this inspiring philosophy to his advantage, KB24 racked up one of the most stacked resumes in modern basketball.
Apart from having the All-Star Game MVP named in his honor, Bryant was also an 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA member, won 2 scoring titles, 1 MVP, 5 championships, and 2 Finals MVPs, among a long list of other achievements.
Also Read: Kobe Bryant Was Once Stopped by Phil Jackson Amidst a 9-game Run
Kobe Bryant declared his goal of being the best
The Mamba was an extremely goal-oriented superstar. As a teenager, Kobe disclosed his aim of being the best player he could become.
After the conclusion of his 2nd campaign, Bryant revealed his ambitions of being the best. In a must-see interview with Barbara Walters, Kobe said:
“I want to be the best player that I can become and I will do anything to accomplish that. I’ll go out and I’ll play basketball from 6 AM to 12. There were times where growing up I was exhausted at times. But I will push myself.”
“I want to be the best player that I can become and I will do anything to accomplish that”
Barbera Walters interviewing Kobe in 1998. (h/t: @NBA_NewYork)
— Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) December 31, 2022
Kobe also answered Barbara’s question about nay-sayers. Despite being a teen, Kobe gave a really mature answer:
“It only drives me to succeed even more. Not necessarily show them but when people say things like that, it motivates me even more. If I prove them wrong, that’s the icing on the cake.”
Is Kobe the greatest Laker ever?
Despite being a star with one of the most fan-following, Kobe is not regarded as a GOAT candidate among the likes of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
However, has Kobe achieved enough to regard him as the greatest Laker of all-time?
Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, and more recently, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are all some of the greatest to suit up for the Purple & Gold.
However, Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson are to be majorly credited for the franchise’s success. Both of these iconic guards spent their entire careers playing for LAL, leading the franchise to win 10 championships combined, out of their grand total of 17.
Also Read: When Kobe Bryant Shared the Most Important Lesson He Learned From 20 Years in NBA
