From the beginning of the 2000s to the middle of the decade, the NBA was controlled by a number of enormous stars. One name sticks out among the others, despite the fact that he may not have the other’s accomplishments.
It’s Kobe Bryant. The Los Angeles Lakers star was renowned for his unbreakable resolve and unique thinking. There are innumerable incidents that show how devoted Bryant was to his work.
NBA veteran Lou Williams recently clarified a well-known Kobe tale. The five-time NBA champion established certain ground rules after a humiliating loss, which made the rest of the squad laugh.
Kobe Bryant once issued a severe warning to his teammates
Over the years, the NBA has seen a lot of top-tier trash talkers. Kobe Bryant didn’t even spare his teammates when the majority of them used derogatory language while speaking about their opponents. Lou Williams, who spent a brief time with the Lakers, was one of them.
In The Mamba’s final NBA season (2015–16), the Lakers suffered a humiliating rout at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers. Williams witnessed the ‘Mamba Mentality’ when Bryant challenged his teammates in the locker room following the game.
Williams said on All The Smoke podcast :“We got blew out in Portland. [Kobe] came in the locker room like, ‘Every time down the court, I touch the ball. Y’all gonna learn what it’s like to play with Kobe Bean f*cking Bryant’”,
"We got blew out in Portland. [Kobe] came in the locker room like, 'Every time down the court, I touch the ball. Y'all gonna learn what it's like to play with Kobe Bean f*cking Bryant.'"
Lou Williams shared a HILARIOUS Mamba story 😅
(via @shobasketball)pic.twitter.com/9ZXAbYJKtu
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 25, 2023
Bryant started to handle things on his own after that. Bryant gave it his all even though the Lakers finished last in the Western Conference that year. A 37-year-old Kobe made it to his 18th All-Star game while averaging 17.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
After the Portland defeat, Bryant had made some harsh decisions
The Lakers players saw other things after their defeat in addition to the altercation in the locker room. Bryant went so far as to remove their shoes. Bryant was forced to make a radical move as a result of the drubbing loss, and he did so without hesitation.
He removed everyone’s Kobe shoes, as former Laker Nick Young stated. According to fadeaway sports : Young said “He tells everybody to take their shoes off, and I’m like, ‘What? What’s wrong with you man?’ And we took them off. He just started grabbing people’s shoes and threw them all in the trash,”
His underwhelming teammates were undoubtedly deeply affected by this. They received a suitable illustration of the “Mamba Mentality” from the legend himself, that much is certain.