“Kobe Bryant Didn’t Move His Puppies Fast Enough”: GP’s Advice to The Mamba on Not Planting His Feet Led to 9x All-Defensive First Team Selections

We have heard numerous stories about the competitiveness of Kobe Bryant, but only a few about his humility. But when it came to learning from the legends of the game, The Black Mamba literally had no ego.

Whether it was Michael Jordan whom he considered his idol, or be it Reggie Miller who was his nemesis, Bryant always had questions for the legends of the game on how to get better, whenever he got the chance.

Talking of legends, Gary Payton also has a story to tell us how the Lakers’ 9x All-Defensive First Team guard learned the art from the defensive genius.

Also read: “Reggie Miller, How You Do That Jab Step Jumper?”: Kobe Bryant Once Showed ‘Humility’ After Putting on a Clinic Against Pacers Legend

Kobe Bryant was humble enough to ask Gary Payton for some advice on defense when he was not even his teammate

Gary Payton is arguably the greatest defensive point guard of all time. He along with Mike and Kobe has the most All-Defensive First Team appearances.

However, according to GP, the 5x NBA Champ once came to him for some advice to get better defensively even before he got his first All-Defensive team selection and what happened next, some of us witnessed it first hand.

Although Payton remembered, “he (Bryant) doesn’t move his puppies (legs) fast enough,” he soon understood after learning from GP that shouldn’t plant his legs.

He further explained as Kobe was never shy of asking and learning from the “OGs” of the game, it did not take him much time to become elite on the defensive side of the floor. Kobe confirmed this story as well.

Kobe became the best by learning from the best

While chasing Jordan to be the greatest in the game, Kobe took it to the next level when he also became as good defensively as the GOAT himself.

Be it that came after some advice from Payton, his humility to even ask a player who is not even his teammate shows how even after becoming a superstar in the league at a young age, he didn’t let it affect his ego, and always stayed a student of the game.

They did become teammates a few years later when GP was ring-chasing. And Kobe made 7 of his 9 All-Defensive First Team selections after Payton’s solo year in LA.

Although he never won a Defensive Player of the Year award like Jordan and Payton, nobody in the league wanted to be guarded by the 6ft 6” guard for more than a decade, probably starting with his championship year, i.e., 2000.

That should be enough for one to be remembered as one of the defensive legends of the game.

Also read: “Los Angeles Wouldn’t Take Us Seriously”: Kobe Bryant Once Detailed Why the Clippers Passed On Him as a 17-Year-Old