“Kobe Bryant Asked Me to Tape up His Achilles!”: Former Lakers’ Trainer Revealed How Black Mamba Took a Shot at Paul Pierce After Injury

When one thinks about the player who worked the hardest in the NBA, the first name that pops to mind is Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba was the personification of hard work and dedication. All of his efforts off the court helped him become one of the greatest ever to step foot on the court.

The 6ft 6″ guard spent all 20 seasons of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers. During that time, he led the team to 5x NBA Championships, where he won 2x Finals MVP honors as well. Over the course of his career, Kobe was known to have played with many injuries.

Once the Black Mamba even had his dislocated finger popped back in place, after which he played the rest of the game.

Kobe had a crazy love for basketball, and it showed, even when he ruptured his Achilles.

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Gary Vitti shared how Kobe Bryant asked him to tape up his ruptured Achilles

Kobe Bryant was a basketball savant. He had a love for the game that superseded everything else. This was put on display when Kobe suffered the most horrific injury of his career, a ruptured Achilles. On April 12, 2013, Kobe and the Lakers were playing the Golden State Warriors.

While making a move against Harrison Barnes, Kobe felt a pop in his leg: his Achilles tendon had just ruptured. While other players would get carried back to the bench or the locker room by their teammates, the case wasn’t the same for Kobe. Instead, Gary Vitti remembered how Kobe asked if he could tape up his leg so he could finish the game.

Vitti shared how he allowed Kobe to return and shoot free throws, but after that, he was forced to get out and return to the locker room. However, Gary believed by his actions, Kobe was sending a message. A message to Paul Pierce.

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What did Paul Pierce do?

In 2008, during Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Paul Pierce had to be wheel chaired off the court. While it was believed to be because of injury, others assumed Pierce had defecated in his pants. However, Kobe did not care.

Even after rupturing his Achilles, Bryant walked 2/3rd the length of the court. He then walked back on the court, shot his free throws, and then made his way back to the locker room, all without any help.

The 2008 Finals loss still hurt Kobe, and even in 2013, he wanted to show Paul Pierce that he was better and stronger.

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