Kobe Bryant was known for his intense and competitive personality. Obsessed with basketball, the Black Mamba would work tirelessly on his game. However, as time went on, Kobe realized that intense training and hard work weren’t enough to be the best. And, as he went into his final season, he revealed in an interview with Ernie Johnson, that balancing training, with understanding human nature is what’s important.
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This obsession with being the best wasn’t limited to Kobe’s time in the NBA. As a high schooler, Bryant was every bit as obsessed with winning as he was during his time in the league. Mike Sieleski, a reporter from Philadelphia, recalled just how intense the then-high schooler was. Having watched him play for Lower Merion High School, Mike expressed just how awe-struck he was at the then-young man’s relentless obsession.
Kobe learned that a balance between hard work and understanding human nature is important
In an interview with Ernie Johnson, Kobe Bryant discussed a variety of topics in 2016. Heading into the season, Kobe made it clear that he planned to retire once it was over. With this in mind, many wanted to pick the Black Mamba’s brain before he played his final season of basketball. TNT just so happened to be one of the lucky few.
One of the topics of discussion in the interview was what advice Kobe would give his younger self. Here, he revealed that he would tell himself to focus on human nature. In particular, he stated that it is important to balance the obsession of being the best player with understanding those around him. Why? Because it is important when challenging for a championship.
It was an unexpected answer. After all, in his early years, Kobe had gained a reputation as a bad teammate. One who was only obsessed with being the best and cared little for those he played with. However, as time moved on, Bryant, who struggled to win championships for a time without Shaquille O’Neal, blossomed into a true leader,
“Focus on human nature. You have to balance out understanding human nature with the obsession to understand the exact tactics of basketball. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve understood you can execute until the cows come home, but if you don’t understand human nature, if you don’t understand how to relate to others, if you don’t understand what makes them tick, you are never going to win a championship.”
In time, Kobe expressed these leadership skills. The 2009 and 2010, back-to-back championship seasons, are a great example of this. Not only did he get over his previous failures, but he showed to the world just how capable a leader he was. Those two wins cemented his legacy and helped him achieve his goal of becoming one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA.
Kobe Bryant was not disappointed about failing to surpass MJ’s legacy
Growing up, Kobe Bryant was a huge fan of Michael Jordan. He modeled his game after him, and many regarded him as the second coming of MJ. As a result, Kobe desired to emulate his hero and perhaps even surpass him. But, throughout his 20-year career, he only managed to muster up five rings.
Nevertheless, he remained proud of his achievements. And, when asked if he felt disappointed about not winning a sixth or seventh ring, he denied it. He told Ernie Johnson, that he gave it his all and that it just wasn’t in the cards for him. At the end of the day, he holds no regrets, despite coming up one short in his race to be just like Mike.
