It's not even the championships" — Kobe Bryant on the quality that all great ones have
Kobe Bryant
© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
There's no denying that Kobe Bryant is one of the best players in the history of the NBA. It's not just his basketball talent that made him a unique individual. The Black Mamba also had a sound mind with regard to sport and life in general. In one of his great interviews, Bryant shared the quality that all the great ones share, and it's something that we should all take to heart.
It's not rocket science
Kobe's interviews are always a treat to watch. It doesn't matter if you're also into basketball like him or if you're pursuing a different field. You're going to pick up something new from the great mind of the Black Mamba. Asked what trait the great ones share, Bryant had a golden response that all of us could relate to.
Recommended Articles
"It's love. It's love. It's not even rocket science to me, man. It's not rocket science. The quality that we all share is that we love what we do. We absolutely love and it's a pure love. It's not the fame. It's not the money. It's not... it's not even the championships. It's love what we do and we do it all the time. We study all the time and as a result, the championships come," Kobe said.
We've heard similar pieces of advice like that. Grown-ups or inspirational speakers would constantly tell the lost and confused to follow their passion. Success will come sooner or later. The first thing is that you should find the field that you love.
Tribulations and glory
If you're familiar with Kobe's storied career, then you'll understand where he's coming from. His first two years in the league were spent on the bench, craving, and fighting for playing time. He would've thrown an angry fit if he didn't love the game and didn't have patience for the process.
The same thing could be said after the Los Angeles Lakers' heartbreaking loss to the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals. Kobe was craving to win one more title to at least tie his then-nemesis, Shaquille O'Neal.
But according to members of the 2008 Redeem Team, Kobe was back to business after that NBA Finals loss. In fact, he even beat his teammates to the gym. Kobe set an example to the likes of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James — two players who are great in their own right. In a way, Kobe was the critical piece that made the 2008 Redeem Team what it is. We can say that Kobe inspired Wade and James never to stop loving the game and continue charting the path for the future. Greatness will follow eventually.
