During Los Angeles Lakers’ matchup against Charlotte Bobcats in the 2004-2005 season, Kobe Bryant demanded the ball during the dying seconds of the game. The Black Mamba ended up nailing the incredibly tough game-winner.
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Kobe Bryant was one of the greatest players to have played in the league. His sheer competitive spirit and the crazy passion for being the best version of himself at any given time was what set him apart from his opponents. Bean dedicated uncountable hours in the gym to perfect his craft, helping him reach the pinnacle of the game. Because of this, Bryant is one of the most accomplished players of all time.
The Black Mamba had a crazy obsession with winning and being the best version of himself at all times. Frankly, very few in NBA history have been close to what all Bryant has achieved on the hardwood. In fact, people also argue that Kobe is one of the most clutch players the league has ever witnessed. And looking at his impressive highlight reel, those arguers would not be wrong at all.
We have heard several anecdotes from the Mamba’s playing days, where he would single-handedly help his team win games late down the stretch, demanding the ball for an iso play. And recently, a former NBA star revealed yet another Kobe Bryant story.
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“Whoever wants to take the ball out is going to be a part of history”: Caron Butler reveals what Kobe Bryant told the team right before hitting the game-winner
During an appearance on “The Long Shot Pod”, former Lakers star and teammate to Kobe Bryant, Caron Butler, disclosed a mind-blowing untold story of the late great Mamba. According to Butler, during their matchup against the Bobcats back in the 2004-2005 season, with the game on the line and Lakers down by 1, Kobe demanded the ball from his teammates at an iso position and ended up knocking down the tough game-winning shot.
“I’ve never told this story,” Butler said. “We was in Charlotte, and we was in the huddle, and he was like, the game was tied, there was only four seconds, three seconds on the shot clock. Rudy T (Rudy Tomjanovich) drawing up all type of sh*t on the board, and he swiped it off again, and Kobe said, ‘F**k that. Just give me the ball right here.’ He was like, ‘Whoever want to take the ball out going to be part of history.’ And Lamar [Odom] was like, ‘I want to be part history.’ He threw that sh*t in, man. Kobe hit the shot, blouses, game.”
Well, if this isn’t the most typical Kobe Bryant-type of story ever.
That very game, Mamba ended up scoring 32 points (21 in the 4th quarter), 9 assists and 4 rebounds in the 44 minutes of action, hitting the game-winner, helping the Lakers win the clash 117-116.
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Stories like these prove to us, just how dominant and self-confident Kobe Bryant simply was. And throughout the illustrious 20-season career Mamba had, he displayed this same level of mentality, night in and night out, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest to do it ever while inspiring an entire generation of fans looking up to him.
