Before Kobe Bryant earned the nickname the ‘Black Mamba’, he was the kid from Lower Merion High School. During the AAU summer basketball circuit, Bryant joined forces with the likes of former NBA stars, Tim Thomas and Vince Carter. Thomas experienced Bryant’s unwavering pursuit of proving the doubters wrong firsthand.
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Thomas, the former 7th pick of the 1997 NBA Draft, made a guest appearance on ‘The ShotClock’. He recalled a moment from practice during his AAU days when Kobe proved his teammates wrong. He said,
“Kobe pulled up, kind of deep, and shot an air ball. We were telling him like ‘Yo move in’. He came right back the same spot and shot it again and made it. He just kept elevating.”
His teammates weren’t criticizing Bryant’s skill but were trying to look out for him. For context, Carter and Bryant paired together in 1994. In the 1993-94 NBA season, the average amount of three-pointers attempted per team was 9.9. Teams averaged only 3.3 made three-pointers per game.
In comparison to the modern era of basketball, the incorporation of deep three-pointers in a player’s shot diet during the 1990s wasn’t the norm.
However, Kobe took a simple suggestion from his teammates as a challenge. He proved that he was able to convert that three-point shot.
Although the moment was an eye-opening experience for Thomas, Carter and others on the team, it was a fun experience. Bryant and Carter shared great memories on the team as Kobe once declared it to be “the greatest AAU team ever.”
Kobe mastered the art of mind games
When it comes to winning, Kobe would do whatever it takes to gain the advantage. The Hall-of-Famer is notorious for running through Pau Gasol, his beloved friend and Godfather of his daughter, Natalia. Tim Thomas was no exception.
Thomas revealed in Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes’, ‘ALL THE SMOKE’ that Kobe’s mind games applied to anyone, no matter how close the relationship was. He said,
“That was a contract year for me and then obviously playing against my brother Kobe, right?…I just knew the mental warfare that was gonna be there. Kobe loved to play those games with those he loved. He will say hi to say or do something stupid before the game or not even speak to you just to let you know what type of day it was gonna be.”
The instance to which Thomas referred was the 2006 first-round against the Lakers and the Suns. Despite falling in Game 1, Bryant led the Lakers to a 3-1 lead at one point in the series. His mental antics with Thomas and others made the outcome a possibility.
Bryant’s ability to dominate opponents in the mental aspect of the game was a trait that separated him from his contemporaries.
