Summary Kobe Bryant was an American professional basketball player who had a great 20 years long career with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. This book tells us more about the mamba mentality and his basketball career. He vividly mentions all the techniques he had implemented against various players and teams. What I learned from this book Whether I hear an elite college or NBA player or a Fortune 500 CEO reference the #MambaMentality, I find it very meaningful. When I see people talk about finding inspiration in it, it makes all of my hard work, all of the sweat, all of the 3 AM wake-ups feel worth it. It is the ultimate mantra for the competitive spirit." 2) What was the secret behind Kobe Bryant’s success? Kobe mentions all the secrets behind his success in this book. The most important reason for his success was his hard work right from his childhood. We can see Kobe and his friends mentioning the importance of hard work in multiple parts of this book
1) What does the term Mamba Mentality mean?
Bryant was commonly referred to as the Black Mamba (named after the deadly assassins in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill). He started it as a hashtag on Twitter, which later became viral.
"The mindset isn't about seeking a result- it's more about the process of getting to that result. It's about the journey and the approach. It's a way of life. I do think that it's important, in all endeavors, to have that mentality.
"As a kid, I would work tirelessly on adding elements to my game. I would see something I liked in person or on film, go practice it immediately, practice it more the next day, and then go out and use it. By the time I reached the league, I had a short learning curve. I could see something, download it, and have it down pat."
"One of the main takeaways was that you have to work hard in the dark to shine in the light. Meaning: It takes a lot of work to be successful."
"If I wanted to implement something new into my game, I'd see it and try incorporating it immediately. I wasn't scared of missing, looking bad, or being embarrassed. That's because I always kept the end result, the long game, in my mind. I always focused on the fact that I had to try something to get it, and once I got it, I'd have another tool in my arsenal. If the price was a lot of work and a few missed shots, I was OK with that."
"One of the qualities that have made Kobe so successful, and always will, is his attention to detail. He always used to tell us: if you want to be a better player, you have to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more"
3) Role of Coaches in a sportspersons life
Kobe mentions all the coaches who helped him become a successful player and tells us the importance of coaches in a player's life.
"Good coaches, however, teach you how to think and arm you with the fundamental tools necessary to execute properly. Good coaches tell you where the fish are, great coaches teach you how to find them."
4) What Kobe’s team mates has to tell about him?
Kobe was not only a good friend but also a great leader and mentor to his teammates. “He brought the best out of me as a basketball player, and he made me a stronger person, too. Our time was truly invaluable.” - Paul Gasol (Kobe’s teammate)
5) How Kobe was able to tackle his injuries?
Kobe had to face several severe injuries in his career. But he was able to overcome injuries and come back strongly. Everybody thought it was the end of his career when he had a severe Achilles injury in 2013. But he bounced back from it as a stronger player.
"I was not going to let an injury dictate my retirement; I was going to dictate my retirement. That's when I decided I had to claim that mountain."
6) Kobe knew what exactly he wanted and how exactly he could get it
In 2008 Kobe wanted his next signature sneaker to be a low top. But Nike was not ready to do it. He persuaded Nike to make what he wanted. "I wanted my next signature sneaker to be a low top. When I told Nike that, at first they said no. I responded, You can't say no. Phil Knight's mantra was 'Listen to the voice of the athlete.' I am the athlete, and I want a low-cut shoe."
7) Why many people love Kobe Bryant so much?
Kobe Bryant was one of the best players that the game of basketball had ever seen. But that is not the only reason why many people love Kobe so much. He was one of the most compassionate sportsperson the world has ever seen. He was credited with granting more than 200 requests for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
"Few people have seen ant another side to Kobe: the man who performed Make-A-Wish requests after almost every home game- and many road games- throughout his career. I got to document a few of those nights when Kobe was there for kids and their families as a different kind of hero- one who understood the profound impact of basketball beyond simply winning and losing. Behind Kobe's relentless determination was a gentle and sober compassion." -(Andrew D. Bernstein (Senior Photographer for the NBA))
I request you to please watch this video to know more about the compassionate side of Kobe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuhR3...
My favourite three lines from this book “I had a constant craving, a yearning, to improve and be the best. I never needed any external forces to motivate me.”
“Stick with what works, even if it’s unpopular. The agony of defeat is as low as the joy of winning is high. However, they are the exact the same to me. I am at the gym at the same time after losing 50 games as I am after winning a championship. It doesn't change for me."
“That’s the best advice I can give: listen to your body, and warm up with purpose.”
Rating
5/5 There are many interesting but less known facts about Kobe mentioned in this book, which will help us to know more about his professional and personal life. The way he deciphered his contemporary players and his role models like Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Muhammad Ali will be helpful for a lot of people in the future. There are so many intricate details about various techniques Kobe used in his game mentioned in this book. All the photos given in this book are exceptional. This is a must-read book if you are a basketball fan.
—————————————————————————
You can also follow me on
Instagram ID - Dasfill | YouTube Channel ID - Dasfill | YouTube Health Channel ID - Dasfill - Health | YouTube Malayalam Channel ID - Dasfill - Malayalam | Threads ID - Dasfill | X ID - Dasfill1 | Snapchat ID - Dasfill | Facebook ID - Dasfill | TikTok ID - Dasfill1
