I was driving back to my college campus when the news broke. I didn’t think it was real at first until I checked my socials and everyone was in a frenzy. I didn’t know how to react. It wasn’t until I woke up the next morning and looked into the mirror that it really hit me and I broke down in tears. I couldn’t understand why. Growing up a Celtics fan, I hated this man every time he took the court against Boston from a rivalry standpoint. He’d beat us on most nights. We were lucky enough to take one championship away from him. As I grew older and learned more though, I would gain more and more respect for the Mamba. I would’ve never considered Kobe to be a hero in my mind, but I understood why others were able to look at him with such high regards. So why was I, a Celtic fan all my life, who never saw Kobe in the same way as others, in tears? Because that’s the kind of lasting effect he was creating during his life. Kobe was psychotic in the best way possible and, no matter your opinion of him, he was the perfect role model in mental toughness and competitiveness. No matter what sport you played, job you had, or objective you had to complete, you could learn from Kobe and improve yourself as a human being.
It’s tough to even look at social media right now as everyone is sharing their favorite memories. Five minutes of scrolling through Twitter and my eyes get water filled again. And while I could try and compile a list of everything Kobe did to better the world, I wouldn’t have the time. There’s just too many stories. So I decided I’d share my Mamba memory that has always stuck in my mind, as a reminder that no matter how hard you may think you’re working, you can always work harder.
In 2012, when preparing for the London Olympics, Kobe contacted a trainer about getting some extra work in before the team’s first scrimmage. He had called the trainer at 4:15 in the morning about getting conditioning work done. Doing his job, the trainer shows up to the gym a little later to find Kobe all alone, dripping in sweat. Not even 5 AM yet. So over the next couple of hours, he works with Kobe on conditioning. Gets him in the weight room for some exercises. The trainer then leaves to catch some sleep before being needed back at the gym for 11 AM, when the team scrimmage would be taking place. He returns, sleep deprived and groggy to find Team USA ready to go. The likes of LeBron, Carmelo, and Kevin Durant chatting with each other. He then sees Kobe on the other side of the gym putting up shots. The trainer goes to talk to Kobe about their early morning work and says, “Good work this morning”. He then asks Kobe when he finished up, to which Kobe replied, “Just now. I wanted 800 made shots. So yeah, just now”.
Kobe had a consistent need for learning, and that’s a skill I wish everyone could acquire. Even when he was at the top, he never felt it, and continued to work, whether it be his game on the court, as a father, or as a businessman. If he wanted something, he went out and got it with no hesitation. It’s evident in the many stories being released that he valued learning even over sleep most of the time. Routinely gaining as many resources as he wanted so that he could improve as a player and as a person. Kobe’s life was truly just getting started. There’s no doubt in my mind that he had multiple large scale projects in mind for the future that may have seemed impossible to the casual person, but to the Mamba, were just the next step in making the world a better place for himself, his fans, and most importantly, his family. That’s just the Mamba Mentality. To conclude my thoughts, I want to reiterate the more general messages I have been seeing on the socials. It’s scary to think about but a life can end in a second. That’s why it’s important to keep close ones on your mind and check in with those that you haven’t talked to in a while. Even just sending a quick hello to old friends can mean the world, especially during a time like this when feelings are more emotional than usual. Or take the time now to amend a broken relationship. Overall, you never know when you’ll lose the chance to do something, so stop waiting. I know Kobe would never wait for his thoughts and ideas to materialize.
Thank you, Mamba.
-Noah Kokkinos
thesplitcutwrites.water.blog 