Kobe Bryant – Lessons We Can All Learn From Him

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Kobe Bryant’s death is a loss for all, but there are lessons to be learnt from

To sum up what Mamba MentalityĀ is, itĀ means to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself.

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Kobe Bryant’s net worth is a whopping S$800 million, but he didn’t come without this far without putting in the hours

I saw you come in and I wanted you to know that it doesnā€™t matter how hard you work. Iā€™m willing to work harder than you.

Jay Williams was a former Bulls player and he recounted pushing himself to show up five hours earlier to practice before a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls.
When he arrived, Bryant was already on the court practicing.
Williams worked out for more than an hour before leaving the court but Bryant was still practicing.
Williams decided to watch from the sidelines and recalled in an interview that:”Itā€™s not like his moves are nonchalant or lazy; heā€™s doing like game moves.ā€
Eventually, Bryant worked for an additional 25 minutes before heading to the lockers room to prepare for the game.
He went on to score and assist a total of 40 points against the Bulls.
Williams recounted he was so impressed he felt compelled to ask Bryant why he worked as hard as he did that day.
Bryant answered him, ā€œI saw you come in and I wanted you to know that it doesnā€™t matter how hard you work. Iā€™m willing to work harder than you.ā€
Bryant would outperform his training than anyone else.

Shaq even commented that Bryant practiced all his moves without a ball, visualizing and physically doing the work for hours.

If you want to do well for your studies, you have to put in the hours.

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He never shy away from responsibility

Looking at a great white shark is one thing, but jumping into the pool with one is another thing

He always guarded the opponent’s best player.

During the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament, he took on the role to guard Leandro Barbosa, who had been the leading scorer in the tournament.

Bryant’s tight defense made Barbosa difficult to dribble at times.

Eventually, Barbosa only made one shot that night with USA winning the match by 37 points.

“Looking at a great white shark is one thing, but jumping into the pool with one is another thing,” Bryant told his teammates.

He never passed on his responsibility to others if he could carry the load.

As a student, you only have yourself to answer to.

Learn to take care of your own responsibilities and you will grow to take care of others.

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Take control of every situation

Everything negative ā€” pressure, challenges ā€” is an opportunity for me to rise.

Bryant took control of every situation he is in.

His approach to obstacles is to tackle them head on:Ā  ā€œEverything negative ā€” pressure, challenges ā€” is an opportunity for me to rise.ā€

Additionally, he stayed in the Laker’s team for his entire career.

Not many athletes play for only one team, let alone for 20 years.

Bryant focused on making his situation the best it could possibly be.

He didnā€™t jump ship when the situation became bad.

He did what he had to improve the situation by taking control of it.

Getting poor results or retaining is not the end of the world.

Make the best out of the current situation and continue to soldier on.

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He used his teammate Shaquille O’ Neal’s laziness as his motivation

It used to drive me crazy that he was so lazy

Shaquille O’Neal, who played with Bryant on Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 to 2004, had a heavily publicized feud with him.

Bryant used to criticize O’ Neal that if O’ Neal had improved on his work ethics Bryant would have won 12 championships.

However, their disputes simmer down over the years.

Upon knowing his death, O’ Neal said that he was “sick” and “had no words to express the pain”.

So do everything you can to avoid becoming the person you do not wish to be.

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O' Neal

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Desire to win

Iā€™ll do whatever it takes to win games, whether itā€™s sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot.

Bryant always possess a burning desire to win, which is why his countless accolades are no coincidental.

He won 5 NBA championships, was anĀ 18-timeĀ All-Star, 15-time member of theĀ All-NBA Team, 12-time member of theĀ All-Defensive Team, and the 2008Ā NBA Most Valuable PlayerĀ (MVP).

Unsurprisingly, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

If you want to do well in your studies, you must have a fierce desire to win.

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Despite his legendary on-court performance, Bryant has to deal with his off-court controversies

Kobe Bryant’s rape case

Bryant’s rape case in 2003, filed by a 19-year-old hotel employee, tarnished his reputation and caused the public’s perception of him to go rock-bottom.

His endorsement contracts with McDonald’s and Nutella were terminated.

He also experienced criticism over an Academy Award win for his animated short film “Dear Basketball” in the wake of the #MeToo era in Hollywood

Despite the controversy, Bryantā€™s legacy is still felt across the NBA and elsewhere.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gave a moving tribute, stating that Bryant “was much more than an athlete”.

 

Kobe Bryant’s wife has once filed for divorce

After their first two children Natalie and Gianna were born, Vanessa and Kobe decided to filed for divorce in 2011.

Vanessa cited ā€œirreconcilable differences.ā€

However, in 2013, the pair decided called off the divorce.

ā€œWe are pleased to announce that we have reconciled,ā€ Vanessa wrote on Instagram then.

ā€œOur divorce action will be dismissed. We are looking forward to our future together.ā€

 

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