Kobe Bryant

On January 22, 2006, Bryant had one of the best individual performances in history: 81 points against the Raptors, his second-ever score after the legendary Chamberlain 100. "A lot of very good players think they can score 50. Or 60. But I never set a limit. I thought I could go up to 80. And 90. Or 100, why not?", he admitted. That's what he's like, greedy and confident, relying on his talent and his effort to dominate the pitch.

A month before that historic game, Bryant had beaten the Mavericks -- who would be runners-up -- in the first three quarters alone by one more (62) than the entire rival team (the Lakers won 95-61). 61). Phil Jackson then took him out to rest, but knowing the ferocity of the ward, sent his assistant Brian Shaw to inquire if he wanted to re-enter for the record.

-Ask Phil if you want to go back in the first few minutes of Q4, maybe add 70 and leave. - No, other times I'm not interested. -Really? You have a chance to be 70, hehe. How many players scored this amount. You can stay for a few minutes, add eight points and rest... - no thanks, I'll do it when we really need it, when it really matters.

"Brian was upset. He told me he was crazy and I could go into history. And, honestly, I think it might go into the '80s. But I just don't think it's that night, I'm going to have another game like this. ," the guard admitted. Shaw isn't the only one who wants more. "I was mad at Phil because he kicked him out," admits Jeanne Buss, the franchise's senior manager and daughter of the team's owner at the time. Many want to continue enjoying the show and hope it surpasses Elle Franchise record for Elgin Baylor (71). But, again, Kobe was right... a month later, it's time to keep enjoying. There are also records.

Along with Jordan and Kevin Durant, Kobe was known as a devastating scorer, perhaps one of the best in history. He has it in his blood, with so many resources, such competitiveness and mentality, it's almost impossible to stop him. What happened, however, went unnoticed, perhaps because of the individual talent, the team building that he developed in his career, especially since Pee Jackson came to the Lakers and convinced him to trust his teammates more, especially Shaq , because of the ego, he will also exchange questions and protagonists back and forth with him. However, on the evening of February 25, 2003, the 24th showed that he could yield...

Bryant had the best streak of his career, scoring 40 or more points in nine straight games (46, 42, 51, 44, 40, 52, 40 and 41 in that angry February). "Shaq had a foot injury and Phil put me in charge of the offense. I did it. When Shaq came back, I kept that rhythm. But the coach called me to his office to get me down a little bit because we lost Shaq. gram and his trust, we need him before June. I said yes, that night I remember I was in my 30s and I let a few shots to him. That's how the streak ended," he said. In the next game, Bryant closed with nearly 30 points, allowing O'Neal to return to his best form. According to Suns pivot partner Raja Bell, Shaq's attitude was different from previous years, when Shaq came up with a sign asking teammates not to pass the ball to Bryant if he took a lot of pitches.

Shaq confronted him more than once. In fact, when O'Neal traveled to Miami in 2004, the battle between the two broke up the three-time championship-winning pair of fantastic rivals. It's time again. These differences have been resolved over time. At the farewell funeral at the Staples Center, the Pivot told an anecdote that summed up part of their relationship and drew widespread laughter from the crowd. "The day Kobe earned my trust was when I faced him after a team member complained to me that the ball wasn't passing...I told him 'Kobe, (the word) there is no me (me) on the team. And then He replied, "I know, but there's an M-E (me) there, you bastard..."

Kobe's standards of demand have always been high. with everyone. Starting with Shaq, the NBA's most dominant player over the years, he said, "If he had a better work ethic, he would have won 12 more championships and went on to be the greatest player of all time"...you just Just imagine his reaction to "mortals" at that time. Lou Williams, a pure scorer who became one of the best bench players in history, told an anecdote that reflected how hard he worked. "One day he gave all the players on the team (the Lakers) a model shoe, but a few hours later we were beaten in front of Portland and lost to the team and he was so angry that he took Throwing our shoes in the trash and saying we were wearing his brand was soft." Somehow, this became the fashion for the Mamba mentality. The mentality of players who do not accept night breaks. no excuse.

Another worker, Luke Walton, told of the ordeal he suffered during morning training that he was not in optimal conditions. "I came to practice because I might have had too much alcohol the night before, so I had to smell a little alcohol... Then Kobe informed the rest of the team about my situation and asked everyone to take their turn I don't give them any defensive help when I tag him. When it started, I asked for help, but none of my coworkers showed up. At first I laughed like I was saying "it's funny", but in Kobe's view, there was only one thing Thing: Destroy me. That's how he taught me a lesson. He probably scored 70 points in that practice. His killing instinct and work ethic are forever etched in me," he told the striker.

The relationship between Jordan and Kobe has always been unique. Kobe grew up admiring His Majesty and wanted to be like him in everything. Obsessed as always, he follows every step and mimics every movement and technical gesture. One video stood out due to the similarities between the two: running style, how to post, throwing backwards, attacking the last line and then leaving the tray, ticking of sticking out tongue, pain and use of foot movements, Standing motions and pulls, this is a very specific style of how to attack the hoop and then turn it over until I open my arms as a sign of "I'm unstoppable"...

When Kobe joined the NBA in 1996, MJ quickly realized that he was different and that he was making history. KB admitted: "It seems to me that even though I'm only 18, I have ideas that can destroy it." He noticed this on the 23rd and set limits for him, especially when he heard "this Man is the new Michael Jordan". Wanting to humiliate him on the pitch, basically to show him who is the king of the jungle. That's what every opening game looks like, including Bryant's first '98 All-Star Game of the final season on the 23rd. Kobe remembers that in the first play, MJ made him look miserable and transformed and looked bad. "I smiled and said to myself 'I've seen it a thousand times, I can't believe I fell into her trap'. There, I knew I had to do more work...", he accepted . So there was a round trip between them, which even gave him the advice MJ gave him, like when his opponents asked him how to make a classic low post game, he famously faded out as soon as he felt physical contact (shoots back, pauses) Walked away. "First of all, you have to feel the defender with your legs. At that moment, you know where to go," he tipped him. Kobe then didn't stop training the movement until he made and perfected it himself.