The tragic death of Kobe Bryant in January 2020 has deeply affected the entire sports community. Since his death, players in the National Basketball Association have shared numerous stories about the impact Bryant had on their careers.
Bryant’s passion and focus for basketball were so intense that they inspired the term “Mamba Mentality.” His competitive spirit created a mantra that athletes and civilians across the country made a way of life.
HoopsHype’s Alex Kennedy caught up with former NBA player Quentin Richardson, who spent 13 years in the NBA. Richardson was a renowned sharpshooter who ranks 63rd all-time in 3-pointers made and was the 2005 NBA 3-Point Contest winner. During the interview, Richardson was asked about his experience playing against Kobe Bryant and his thoughts on his legacy.
“When I was in the NBA, he had gotten through the first couple of years of his growing pains and was great. Every time I saw him, it was like he was taking off,” Richardson said. “What really stuck with me and what I can say is we were both in LA. I was there for four years and I never saw him anywhere but the Staples Center. So never. He never went out or anything.”
Bryant was constantly in the gym working to improve his game, and it showed night after night at Crypto.com Arena, formerly known as Staples Center. During the interview, Richardson praised the talents across the NBA, but emphasized the fact that Bryant is truly “one of a kind.”
“Only a handful of people who would shoot at anything. Maybe Allen Iverson was like that too. Actually not, Kobe is the only one who would shoot everything. For example, he made a 3-point shot with his left hand. A lot of guys have tricks, but are they going to do that in a game? Kobe did things that nobody else would even try in a game. For example, he got injured and started shooting with his left hand! Who does that?! He was the first person to throw the ball off the backboard to himself in a real game. Not in the All-Star game! In a real game.”
Bryant is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, and he owes it to his work off the court. The shots he attempted in an empty gym when no one was there led to a Most Valuable Player award, five NBA championships, and a lasting influence on a generation of athletes.
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