Kobe Bryant is considered one of the greatest to play the game of basketball something his incredible work ethic and his piercing mentality made possible. His intimidating persona made it hard for opponents to guard him. This was something he picked up from his mentor, Michael Jordan. Not only that, the Black Mamba shared the same trainer as well, Tim Grover. In his book, ‘Relentless’, Tim wrote about the time when Kobe went to visit Dwyane Wade before visiting the hospital.
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During the 2012 All-Star game, Kobe attempted to go for a layup after a spin move on the post. Dwyane Wade who was defending him, fouled him hard which resulted in a broken nose. Kobe’s trainer, Tim Grover, described that instead of heading to the hospital, Kobe went face to face on Dwyane Wade with a cold look.
Michael Jordan’s Trainer Writes About Kobe vs. Wade 2012 All-Star Game Altercation
In his book, ‘Relentless’, Tim Grover wrote about Kobe Bryant’s greatness and his obsession with basketball. He writes about how Kobe Bryant was a silent killer and let his game do the talking. This of course led opponents to fear him.
“This is what makes Kobe one of the greats of all time: He doesn’t tell you what he’s thinking or what he’s going to do. He just does it. He makes others fear his next move and respect his ability to execute it.”
Tim then described the incident in which Dwyane Wade had given Kobe a broken nose during the 2012 NBA All-Star game. He talks about how the Black Mamba was eager to visit Wade rather than the hospital. Tim illustrated that Kobe wanted to establish the pecking order and that he was still the one in charge.
“When Dwyane broke Kobe’s nose and gave him the concussion during the All-Star Game, and Kobe wanted to see him face-to-face before he’d go to the hospital, it wasn’t about vengeance or retaliation or settling the score. It was about the law and order of the jungle, two animals instinctively facing off, the lion king getting up on that rock so the rest of the jungle could see who was in charge. One direct, silent look that says, “I still own this, motherfucker.”
Admittedly, this was beyond intense for the Lakers legend. However, then again, Kobe Bryant was nothing, if intense.
Dwyane Wade Recalls the Aftermath of Breaking Kobe’s Nose
In an interview with Kevin Garnett, Dwyane Wade provided the perspective into the aftermath of breaking Kobe Bryant’s nose. He talks about the next game he played against the Lakers after the All-Star break. He had called Kobe only to receive a spine-chilling warning from him.
After the All-Star break, we got the Lakers about like three games after the break. He (Kobe) got the mask on. I intentionally didn’t do it, so I called him like, Yo Kobe, and he was like, ‘I love it, I’ll see you in a couple of days.’
That was how laser-focused the Black Mamba was when he had his sights set on an opponent. If he had put his mind onto something, he was going to destroy it. This was why every NBA player had immense respect for him and hailed him as the closest player to his Airness.
