Kobe Bryant Discussion: Mamba Out!

Saw this on Facebook. I love the Kobe/Pau relationship, which worked well on so many levels.

Pau Gasol on the Impact Kobe Bryant Had on His Game:

“Nobody is like Kobe. His combination of talent and will to win is unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my career. Let me tell you a short story: I remember showing up to Lakers training camp in 2012 after a summer playing for Spain in the London Olympics.

Kobe and Team USA had beaten us in the gold medal round just a few weeks before. After the Olympics and before training camp, I had been resting my body. On the first day of camp, I remember Kobe challenging me to a one-on-one game after practice. And since my game was in the post, he insisted that the game had to be played only in the post. I couldn’t refuse the challenge. I was in shape, but my body was still recovering from the summer.

Kobe wouldn’t take no for an answer, so we played.

He was talking trash. So I tried to hold my ground and throw some back. But Kobe wasn’t joking—he was ready to beat me. So I tried to match his energy. But no matter what I did, he wasn’t going to take it easy. I remember saying, ‘Kobe, relax. The season is just starting, and I’m still getting my legs back. Take it easy.’

One day in the future, maybe I’ll tell you who won that game. Actually, to hell with it—you already know who won.

I love this story because I think it says so much about how Kobe approached the game. He never allowed himself to get out of shape. He was always ready to go and demanded that everyone else be on the same page. I don’t think Kobe ever took a day off. He was in championship mode, pure and simple. The six and a half years I played with Kobe were the best years of my basketball career. I learned more about my game, and one of the biggest reasons was No. 24.”

- Pau Gasol

 

I was so ecstatic when we traded for Pau.
He was such a perfect fit and they developed instant chemistry together.
So many fun memories from those Kobe/Pau squads.

 

I still remember where exactly I was in town driving home from work when I heard news of the Pau trade. And I'll NEVER forget as well coming into Lakersball the next morning after a tremendous game beating the Knicks in NY with AD out .... eager to read all the new excited takes on how well we did .... to find the NEW Luka Doncic thread. WUT??? Was the first thought of course as I knew no one would joke with a thread like that, and then was certain I was going to read AR was gone too in addition to AD.

NOPE!!!

MVP .. MVP .. you dumb a**!!

 

I’ll never forget the moment I learned of the Pau trade. I was in therapy and normally I ignore my phone for that hour but it was blowing up in my pocket and finally I pulled it out and saw a text from one of my friends that said “We got Gasol!” and I told my therapist i needed a minute to see what this was all about and he said that was fine. When I found the headlines and saw we got Pau Gasol and all we really gave up was Kwah-may Brown I was ecstatic. I spent the rest of the therapy session talking about how great the Lakers were gonna be.

 

Instant cure for whatever was bothering you and stopped going probably.

 

THAT is a great story

 

9 years ago today Kobe dropped this beautiful farewell performance.

 

Beautiful. The perfect ending to a perfect career.

 

Already 9 years ago. Can’t even watch this today.

 

Kobe V's and VIII's are my fav bball shoes of all time.
Now, "Wade" is the way to go. All City 12/13 and WOW 10/11 are crazy good.

 

Saw on IG that tomorrow will be the first Game 1 we host in LA since 2012. Can't believe it's been 13 years since Kobe's last playoff run. I'm still mad that games 3 and 4 of that 2012 Thunder series were back-to-backs. We probably lose anyway, but we had a shot. Would have been fun to get one more Lakers/Spurs in the 2012 WCF.

 

So much has happened since then, it feels like 20 years ago to me.

 

Just watched this and teared up a bit. Btw, I’m wearing my “He’s Back, Kobe” shirt today to get ready for the playoffs.