1 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: Diversion podcasts. But I think the main thing is getting 2 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: in shape. From what I hear is a very long table, 3 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: a lot of basketball to be played, not a bump 4 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: in the ground. So I had to bring myself. I'm 5 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,319 Speaker 1: getting shaped. It's my legs. When get times, I know, 6 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: I know it's liberties nowadays started tend to hit a 7 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: hit a wall in the middle of the season. I 8 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: think a lot of the great players in the past 9 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: and magic might but I don't think they've everged that wall. 10 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: I want to hit that wall. I work hard because 11 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 1: I possibly can do something. I still hit the wall, 12 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: and we to work even harder. Next shot. Looking as 13 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: a positive map, but better field. But what's going on? 14 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: During this series, We've dive deep into Kobe Bryant's early life. 15 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: We've talked about his family, his upbringing, his social life 16 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: when he was a teenager, his decision to skip college 17 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 1: and go straight from Lower Merion High School to the NBA. 18 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: We've talked a lot about him as a person, which 19 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: is a natural thing to do. Kobe was famous. Kobe 20 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 1: was a mega celebrity. Kobe's photo could appear on the 21 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: cover of People magazine, and everyone in the supermarket checkout 22 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: line would recognize him. You didn't have to know anything 23 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: about basketball to know who he was. But in this episode, 24 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: we wanted to home in on Kobe as a basketball player. 25 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: That's what that tape you heard at the top of 26 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: this episode is all about. It's from the summer of 27 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: and Kobe is talking about how he's preparing himself physically 28 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: for the n b A. He says he doesn't want 29 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: to hit that wall. He doesn't want to tire himself 30 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: out completely before the uler season is finished. Magic Johnson 31 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: didn't do that, Michael Jordan didn't do that, and Kobe 32 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: didn't want to do it either. Here's the thing, though, 33 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: he kind of did. At the end of that ninety 34 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: seven season, in an elimination game against the Utah Jazz, 35 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: Kobe had one of the worst games of his career, 36 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: maybe the worst. He shot four air balls in the 37 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: closing minutes. His legs were gone. He had hit that 38 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 1: wall holder right, John rootns great A second glass? Why 39 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: God about Ruth Wilton five second class four, Bryan God 40 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 1: pull up not all the way? Rob Over and Bob 41 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:51,359 Speaker 1: gold Overdove, Doctor Hallover, High Scord TB Slet, Carl prober 42 00:02:51,480 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: baball porn, plafer hall, a clock colver cover believe. Of course, 43 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: we know Kobe eventually figured out how to break through 44 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: that wall. He made the All Star Game the following season, 45 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 1: and four years later, when the Lakers won their second 46 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: championship with him, he actually averaged more points per game 47 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:15,679 Speaker 1: and shot a better percentage from the field in the 48 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: playoffs than he did during the regular season. Safe to 49 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: say his conditioning was better by then. So for this episode, 50 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:30,799 Speaker 1: we really wanted to drill down on the physical and 51 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: mental attributes that made him great on the court, the 52 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: granular stuff that basketball junkies love, and we thought a 53 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: cool way to do it would be to examine each 54 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: stage of his life and career through the eyes of 55 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: someone who knew Kobe well at each stage. So we 56 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: have three coaches with ties to Kobe to break everything down. First, 57 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: you'll hear from Ashley Howard, who grew up with Kobe 58 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: and played against him when they were kids. He had 59 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: been Jay Wright's top assistant code on two national championship 60 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: teams at Villanova, and now he's the head coach at 61 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: Lasau University. As we have a new man in charge 62 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: overs for the first of in fourteen years. Ashley Howard 63 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: will be the new coach at LASAL that was announced today. 64 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 1: He will be the nineteenth head coach in the program's history. 65 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: For the last five seasons, Howard was one of Jay 66 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: Wright's top assistants and recruiters. In that time, Villanova won 67 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 1: two national championships and said an n C double, a 68 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: record for most wins in a four year span. Howard 69 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 1: also spent four years as an assistant at LASAL, and 70 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: he says that gives him an advantage. Then, in the 71 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 1: second part of this episode, you'll hear from Temple University 72 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 1: head coach Aaron McKee, who played thirteen seasons in the NBA. 73 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 1: Aaron finished his career with the Lakers. He was Kobe's 74 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: teammate there for two years, but before that he had 75 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: to guard him a couple of times each season and 76 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: throughout the two thousand one NBA Finals, when Kobe's Lakers 77 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 1: beat Aaron's seventy sixers, we're carrying from dog to record. 78 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: Ki Shockin's last show four games lost Whitehers Well by 79 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 1: today shuck up. Finally, in the last part of this episode, 80 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: you'll hear from Brett Brown. Brett has known Kobe for 81 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 1: a long time and in a lot of ways he 82 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 1: gained planned against it and got to coach him in 83 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 1: two NBA All Star Games when Brett was an assistant 84 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:38,040 Speaker 1: under Greg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs. He coached 85 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: against Kobe in the Olympics when Kobe was on the 86 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: US team and Brett was the head coach of the 87 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: Australian team and Brett was the Sixers head coach when 88 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 1: Kobe played his final game in Philadelphia in December two 89 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:55,280 Speaker 1: thousand fifteen. He's a showman and a showtime surprise. We 90 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 1: knew he was Commas and something a little extra tonight 91 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: no matter what is transpired in the first sixteen oh 92 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: and he has another connection to Kobe. Brett's son, Sam 93 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 1: is a junior at Lower Merion and one of the 94 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: top basketball players in the Philadelphia area. In this episode, 95 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 1: we want to give you a sense of just how 96 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 1: Kobe's presence and legend linger in the present day, how 97 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 1: fresh they still are in so many ways. There is 98 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: relevant as they've ever been, and I've ever said, Wow, 99 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: what fress up about this young little guy? And a 100 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: little did I know Bryant? Another crazy drains they're loving 101 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:46,280 Speaker 1: this show. From Kobe Bryant, I'm Mike Sealsky, and from 102 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: Diversion Podcasts, this is I am Kobe le Bratley. Create 103 00:06:55,680 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: Myself Yourself, say nice on Create Yourself. You gotta great 104 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 1: minds that we gain getting time. Episode eleven, Tricks of 105 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 1: the Basketball Trade. If you're up on Philly basketball history 106 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 1: or have been paying close attention throughout this series, you 107 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: might have already figured out there's a deeper connection between 108 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: Ashley Howard and Kobe Bryant than what I explained in 109 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: the introduction. Just pay attention to Ashley's last name, Howard. Yep, 110 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: he's the son of Mo Howard, Joe Bryant's buddy from 111 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: high school, who we've heard from across several episodes. I'm 112 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 1: that Kobe, all right when he first moved to the 113 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: States from Italy. You know, our parents were close to 114 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: My father and Joe, his father, were childhood friends. Ashley 115 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: how where it is in his fourth season as lasal's 116 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: men's basketball coach, and I drove down to campus in 117 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: late November to sit down and talk with him about Kobe. 118 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: Ashley hasn't had a winning season yet, and he's still 119 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: facing challenges similar to the ones that his storied predecessor, 120 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: Speedy Morris faced back when he was trying to coax 121 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: Kobe to become an explorer. Budget constraints, a relative lack 122 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: of resources, etcetera, etcetera. Even the men's basketball Coaches office 123 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: is just as modest as it was way back when 124 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: I was a student there. It looks pretty much the 125 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: same as it did when it was Speedy's office in 126 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: the early nineteen nineties. Back then, Ashley considered Kobe one 127 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: of his basketball role models. He was two years younger 128 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: than Kobe, and the two of them played in the 129 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: Sunny Hill League at the same time. The Sunny Hill 130 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: League was the training ground for adolescent basketball talent in 131 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: and around Philadelphia. People call Sunny the mayor of basketball 132 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:59,439 Speaker 1: in Philly, and he founded the league in the late 133 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:03,319 Speaker 1: nineteen sixties. The games were at Old McGonagall Hall on 134 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: Temple's campus. If you were a promising young player, that 135 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: was where you went to be seen, and it helped 136 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: you build your reputation and get into the good pickup 137 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:17,439 Speaker 1: games at the city's rec centers. One of those games 138 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: still stands out to Ashley. Kobe was about thirteen at 139 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:23,959 Speaker 1: the time, so Ashley would have been about eleven, and 140 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:27,479 Speaker 1: they were playing against each other at Justine Lake Recreation 141 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:33,679 Speaker 1: Center in the East Falls section of Philadelphia. I remember 142 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: I had a breakaway lay up. Kobe was chasing me 143 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:38,439 Speaker 1: down and I just jumped stop and he flew over 144 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:40,959 Speaker 1: top of me and I laid the ball in or 145 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 1: run down the court, and he said to me, I 146 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: gave you that one. I gave you that one. So 147 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: that was one of my first memories of Kobe. Because 148 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: the Bryant and Howard families were so close, Ashley got 149 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 1: to know Kobe pretty well when they were kids. And 150 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: because Ashley was a darn good player himself. He went 151 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: on to play Division One ball at Drexel University. He 152 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 1: got an up close look at Kobe's growth as a 153 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:10,679 Speaker 1: player during his teenage years morning and that growth was unusual, 154 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 1: to say the least. Kobe picked up on things, especially 155 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: from his father and from his sisters Shariah and Shaya, 156 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:22,199 Speaker 1: both of whom were excellent athletes themselves. When Joe played 157 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:25,839 Speaker 1: in the NBA and internationally. For example, Kobe noticed that 158 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: he always iced his knees and joints after every practicing game, 159 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:34,439 Speaker 1: and when his sisters played volleyball, they always wore knee pads, 160 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: so he did the same thing. He was so skinny 161 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: that he looked like a giraffe wearing a knight's armor. 162 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 1: Used to wear his kneepads, and he used to ice 163 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 1: his body up like after he played. And we would 164 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:51,320 Speaker 1: look at Augustine Lake like, yo, what is this guy doing? 165 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: Like he was like fourteen years old and his body's 166 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,599 Speaker 1: wrapped up in ice. But like I guess like he 167 00:10:57,200 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 1: saw that when he was a kid playing. You know 168 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 1: why his dad overseas and like, okay, after you play, 169 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: you like your body up. You take care of your body, 170 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 1: take care of your you know, you know, you protect 171 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: your knees. And that's what was different about Kobe. That's 172 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: where you saw like the experience of being around his father, 173 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: being around his uncle Chubby, guys that played the game 174 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 1: at an extremely high level, guys that were pros, and 175 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: he was just analyzing and dissecting their every move and 176 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 1: um and learning just from being around the game at 177 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,679 Speaker 1: a high level. Just what actually saw really was the 178 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: foundation of Kobe's game, the substructure that would support all 179 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:41,319 Speaker 1: the other skills that would make him great. Remember we 180 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: played together in UM like a Philadelphia and New York game. 181 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,839 Speaker 1: It was like a fourteen and under game. And you know, 182 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:51,959 Speaker 1: I was younger at the time. I was probably twelve 183 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 1: at this time. Kobe's fourteen. And you know we played 184 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 1: together in the game, and you know, I'm the point guard, 185 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: Kobe's the big in But it was like he still 186 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 1: did everything right, Like you know, we were going to him, 187 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: Like he was scoring inside, he was stepping outside, making threes, 188 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: he was going coast to coast, you know, dropping dimes. 189 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 1: So he was different even at that age. He was 190 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:18,719 Speaker 1: not like everybody else. UM. And I remember that just 191 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: you know, distinctly at that size. You know, I don't 192 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: remember exactly how tall he was. He mad have be 193 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: like six three six four, but he was taller than 194 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,439 Speaker 1: your average fourteen year old. And and he was more 195 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 1: skilled and more fundamentally sound than than the average player 196 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: at that age as well, Like Kobe was very polished 197 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 1: and mature and refined in his game at that time, UM, 198 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 1: especially playing amongst his age group, Like you could tell 199 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: that he was used to playing with older players because 200 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:56,599 Speaker 1: he played the game with just a sense of maturity 201 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 1: that everybody else wasn't playing with. From my perspective, the 202 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: same person that I played with in the fourteen and 203 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:10,679 Speaker 1: under New York Philadelphia game back in three is the 204 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,079 Speaker 1: same person that I saw get eighty one points on 205 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: the Toronto Raptors. The same dude, you know what I mean? 206 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 1: Pabb Bryant twenty eight for forty six from the field. 207 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 1: This would be eighteen for twenty from a line and 208 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: at eighty one point game fifty five of the second half. 209 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: You gotta get him out of game. Somebody got all 210 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: there is a goo babbly hill back Bay said, let 211 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 1: me listen for this number eight. Right. He was always 212 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: that guy. He was a killer. Um, he was an assassin. 213 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 1: He rose to the occasion, the bigger competition, the bigger performance. 214 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:03,839 Speaker 1: So that was part one. That was Ashley Howard, who 215 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: looked up to Kobe as a role model and a 216 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: kind of idol, giving us a look at Kobe as 217 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,079 Speaker 1: a kid, as an up and comer, as a young 218 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: man hungry for big competition and big stages. Hey, this 219 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: is Mike Sealsky, host and writer of I Am Kobe. 220 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: This podcast project came out of my work on a 221 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: related book called The Rise Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit 222 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: of Immortality. If you want to explore other parts of 223 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: Kobe's story, check out The Rise. It's not just a 224 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: book version of the podcast. I dive deeper into some 225 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 1: of the topics covered in this series, and even some 226 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: that we don't cover at all. Kobe's upbringing, his family, 227 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: his identity, his effect on his friends and teammates, his 228 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: journey into the n b A and his earliest days 229 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: with the Lakers. The Rise Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit 230 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: of Immortality is out now. Just head over to the 231 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 1: Rise of Kobe book dot com and you can buy 232 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 1: it from any of your favorite retailers. That's the Rise 233 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 1: of Kobe Book dot com. Thanks Here. In Part two, 234 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: we're going to get into Kobe the pro basketball player, 235 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 1: Kobe the immortal, and for that, Kobe, the competition was 236 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 1: never bigger than it was in the seven NBA finals 237 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 1: he reached during his twenty year career with the Lakers. 238 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: People overlook that fact about him seven NBA finals. Michael 239 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: ord And only made six. Granted Jordan and the Bulls 240 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: won every time, and Kobe lost twice, but still seven 241 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: finals anyway. The second of those finals. Appearances came in 242 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: two thousand one against Kobe's hometown team, the Philadelphia seventies Sixers, 243 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 1: and one of the Sixers who drew the assignment of 244 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: having to guard Kobe during that series was Aaron McKee. 245 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: Here share fly up with It's a great offensive rebounding 246 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: on Aaron mcketh trying to go up with him Kobe 247 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: with the fresher legs. McKee played thirteen years in the NBA, 248 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: and that season was his best. He was named the 249 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 1: league's sixth Man of the Year. He averaged more than 250 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: eleven points a game, shot forty seven percent from the field, 251 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: and established himself as one of the better defensive guards around. 252 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: He and Kobe had some obvious similarities and some pretty 253 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: big differences. Both of them had Philly roots. McKee had 254 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: played for Simon Gratz High, one of the city's top programs, 255 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:05,399 Speaker 1: and for John Cheney at Temple. Both of them were 256 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 1: roughly the same size. McKee was six five, Kobe was 257 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: six six. Both were tough as dry rawhide, and McKee 258 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:16,679 Speaker 1: had played against Kobe in those memorable pickup games at 259 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:21,399 Speaker 1: the St. Joseph's University field House during the summer when 260 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 1: I was in college, he would come up and he 261 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 1: was always at a high i Q. He always had 262 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: the skill set. He was more athletes then still polishing 263 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: his game up early on. Can do just about anything 264 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: and everything out on the court. You you clearly saw 265 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: that can defend, rebound, shoot, can go get a shot, 266 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 1: you know, block shots, the whole nine. He was just 267 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:50,400 Speaker 1: electric and he was full of energy. Six five long. 268 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:53,119 Speaker 1: He was doing all of those things. But what he 269 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: was missing at that time is just being polished up 270 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 1: and and and really truly understanding the game and not 271 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,359 Speaker 1: having the strength. He was wiry, strong, but he didn't 272 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 1: have that man strength at that particular time. And then 273 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 1: once he got to the NBA, he got polished up, 274 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 1: He studied the game, he understood the game. He started 275 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: get hitting the weighting room and getting stronger, you know, 276 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:23,439 Speaker 1: where he could take on the physicality of the NBA season. 277 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: And then you started to see the total package here 278 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:32,160 Speaker 1: it is. You're talking about a premier offensive player who 279 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,680 Speaker 1: could have easily been the m v P every year, 280 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 1: but he was also one of the premier defensive players. 281 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 1: So he prided himself on being a two way player. 282 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: Even when Kobe was moving from high school into the NBA. 283 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,120 Speaker 1: The idea that his background as a suburban kid who 284 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: might be intimidated by older, more experienced players never held 285 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: any water with McKey. He knew better. He'd been too 286 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 1: close to Kobe's flame to think such a thing. Yeah, 287 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: that that was always a misconception, and it is basketball 288 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:07,439 Speaker 1: is basketball, and really that's the ship that he's always 289 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: had on his shoulder. It was really the only thing 290 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:13,120 Speaker 1: that people could say that kind of I'm not gonna 291 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,120 Speaker 1: say it was a knock, but say, hey, let's let's 292 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:18,440 Speaker 1: play this against him. Oh, he's not from the in 293 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 1: the city like most of the premier players were, you 294 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:24,600 Speaker 1: know back then. He's from the suburbs or he grew 295 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 1: up in Italy. And he's different than us. He's not tougher. 296 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:29,680 Speaker 1: And he was one of the toughest guys that I knew. 297 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:34,120 Speaker 1: Mentally tough, because basketball is mentally tough. It's not physically tough. 298 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:36,959 Speaker 1: He was physically tough. He was mentally tough. You couldn't 299 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: really talk to him because he was focused on what 300 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:41,399 Speaker 1: he you know, what he was doing, and and so 301 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: you couldn't really rattle his cage with with words or 302 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 1: anything else. You try to do push him or hit 303 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 1: him or fil him hard, and that only made him stronger. 304 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: And a stronger Kobe was a problem for the Sixers. 305 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 1: He and McKy were roughly the same size, but Kobe 306 00:19:56,520 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: was more athletic, was a better shooter, had a wider 307 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,719 Speaker 1: ray of offensive skills and moves. So entering the series, 308 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 1: the plan for the Sixers just wasn't to have McKee 309 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:10,399 Speaker 1: try to guard Kobe one on one. The plan was 310 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 1: to use every available small forward and big guard. The 311 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: team has to throw everything and everyone they could at Kobe. 312 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: So I always just tried to touch him and and 313 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:27,119 Speaker 1: and makeing shots difficult. I wasn't gonna play undisciplined and 314 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 1: try to run for steels and open it up for 315 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: him and give them the easy shots. I just wanted 316 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 1: to try to make it as tough as possible for him, 317 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: guard them, keep him in front of him, and putting 318 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 1: them on the free throw line. Because all great scorers 319 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,919 Speaker 1: understand how to not only score the ball, but they 320 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 1: understand when they when they're not making shots, they try 321 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,440 Speaker 1: to find ways to get layups. They try to find 322 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:47,920 Speaker 1: ways to get to the free throw line, and that 323 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: helps those guys get going, we try to rotate guys 324 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: on them. If it was myself, if it was Eric Snow, 325 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 1: if it was you know whoever, Jamaine Jones, Roger Bell, 326 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 1: we just wanted the ruttin uh fresh bodies on them. Again, 327 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 1: those guys, those sort of players, see that night in 328 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: and night out. Who are you getting all these defensive 329 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: coverages and double teams and those sort of things. So 330 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 1: you know they're prepared for that. And so he's, you know, 331 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 1: one at the all time great For reason, the Sixers 332 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: shocked the Lakers and the basketball world by winning Game 333 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,920 Speaker 1: one of the Finals in overtime. You might remember that game. 334 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 1: It featured the unforgettable site of Alan Iverson swishing a 335 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 1: baseline jump shot over Lakers guard Tyron Loop, then stepping 336 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: over Loop who had fallen to the floor. One A 337 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: three left and overdive one on one night a dive. 338 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:51,480 Speaker 1: Here's iver a little bit offender stays what Helen wants 339 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: to go? Wants the baseline sait away. Yeah to god, 340 00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: they stuffed the round Loop. The Sixers up in a 341 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:03,920 Speaker 1: room something straight courts either to look at he was. 342 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: Kobe would have liked to forget that entire game. It 343 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 1: was his worst of that entire postseason. He took twenty 344 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: two shots, missed fifteen of them, and scored just fifteen points. 345 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:20,199 Speaker 1: McKee didn't expect them to repeat such a subpar performance 346 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:22,879 Speaker 1: in Game two. You know, when you're talking about one 347 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:26,719 Speaker 1: at the top three players in the league playing out 348 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:30,199 Speaker 1: in l A and you know, especially after US win 349 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:32,320 Speaker 1: that first game, I knew he was gonna come back 350 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 1: with different mindset. And it was his mindset was always 351 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:39,920 Speaker 1: killed or be killed. And I knew he was gonna 352 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 1: come out firing away. And again my my I thought 353 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,239 Speaker 1: process was, Ay, we just gotta make it difficult for them. 354 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:49,200 Speaker 1: We're gonna come out firing and and and and trying 355 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: to carry the load, and you know, just trying to 356 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: find different ways to distract him. And you couldn't do 357 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:56,360 Speaker 1: those things. And so you know, once he got into 358 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 1: his rhythm, it was, you know, he became really difficult 359 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 1: to guard. By fire the riot to set up a 360 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:09,200 Speaker 1: short dropper six points point. So those first quarter for 361 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 1: Coby Rods settled up setting there the shot of Coby 362 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: well Let's staple. Kobe was back in his rhythm for 363 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: most of the rest of the series. He scored thirty 364 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: one points in Game two and thirty two points in 365 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: Game three, and the Lakers didn't lose again, rolling to 366 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:44,520 Speaker 1: a five game victory and the championship. After the last 367 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:47,680 Speaker 1: game of the finals, a photographer snapped the shot of 368 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:52,679 Speaker 1: Kobe sitting alone, hugging the Larry O'Brien Trophy, a melancholy 369 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 1: look on his face. He and his parents were not 370 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:59,440 Speaker 1: on speaking terms at the time. They're falling out over 371 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: the direct and of his life was recent and fresh. 372 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: It was one of the most bittersweet moments of his career, 373 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:10,119 Speaker 1: and it happened in his hometown, But it was not 374 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 1: his first memorable moment in Philadelphia against the Sixers, and 375 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: it was his last. In the first part of this episode, 376 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 1: you heard Ashley Howard describe what Kobe was like when 377 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: his basketball career was just starting. In the second part, 378 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,679 Speaker 1: Aaron McKee talked about what it was like to compete 379 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 1: against Kobe in his prime, Kobe on basketball's biggest stage, 380 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 1: Kobe winning a championship in the city of brotherly loved. 381 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:13,680 Speaker 1: In the third and final part, now, I thought it 382 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:16,399 Speaker 1: would be appropriate to focus on Kobe's debut in his 383 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: hometown and his farewell in his hometown. On November, Kobe 384 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: played in Philadelphia for the first time as a member 385 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 1: of the Lakers. His family, his friends from Lower Marian, 386 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 1: people who knew him from the Philly basketball scene, all 387 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 1: of them were there to see him play. Then he 388 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: went out there against a terrible Sixers team and took 389 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: all of three shots in the first half. He missed 390 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:47,159 Speaker 1: them all. He didn't score a single point in the 391 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 1: game's first twenty four minutes. If you thought Kobe, even 392 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:54,240 Speaker 1: as an eighteen year old rookie, would be deterred by 393 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:57,920 Speaker 1: that poor performance, you haven't been paying attention over the 394 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: previous ten episodes of this series. He took more than 395 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 1: twice as many shots in the second half seven this time, 396 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 1: he made four of them. He finished with twelve points, 397 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:15,760 Speaker 1: the Lakers precise margin of victory that night. Four months 398 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 1: after that game, in March, Kobe described the entire scene 399 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:26,880 Speaker 1: to Jeremy treat Well, there's half. I went out there 400 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: within the most, within the most another offense. That's when 401 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 1: I did on the ball a couple of times for 402 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:40,119 Speaker 1: the game. Uh, But when I went to to the 403 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:42,960 Speaker 1: locker hall, and I don't think I scored a point 404 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: in the first half I knew any time I could 405 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:48,399 Speaker 1: go out there and do my I just had that 406 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:51,639 Speaker 1: confidence about me during the game. So I came up 407 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,399 Speaker 1: to the second half and then we struggle a little bit. 408 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: We need somebody step up and put some points on 409 00:26:56,760 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: the bull said, well, go ahead and go from my 410 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: I do my thing and put some pointy from the bulls. 411 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 1: So that's what I did in the second half. I'm 412 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 1: crazy like high school, just highchool all over again. The 413 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 1: whole fat being there at Man, people doing their them 414 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 1: media dollars, same same play are. The difference is at 415 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:28,680 Speaker 1: at at at provlic Google MH. I want to thank 416 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 1: a basic Uh felt there Man so good because I 417 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 1: knew a lot of people were feeling who requested about 418 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 1: the senor and saying that I couldn't make it or whatever. 419 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,440 Speaker 1: But I guess what kind of please. I was in 420 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 1: there there handed myself and handed myself in that game. 421 00:27:47,920 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 1: So I was happy say us for nearly twenty years. 422 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:06,120 Speaker 1: On December one, two thousand fifteen, Kobe played in Philadelphia 423 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:09,439 Speaker 1: for the final time when the Sixers toasted the Lakers. 424 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:13,080 Speaker 1: But the game was interesting for reasons beyond the fact 425 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 1: that it would be Kobe's last one in his hometown. 426 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: For one thing, the Sixers had played eighteen games that 427 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 1: season before facing Kobe and the Lakers, and they had 428 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:27,920 Speaker 1: lost all eighteen. They were in the midst of the 429 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:31,879 Speaker 1: process their controversial plan to tank for a few years, 430 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:35,520 Speaker 1: get some high draft picks and presumably some great players, 431 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 1: and try to rebuild for another Their head coach, Brett Brown, 432 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 1: had spent as much time as anyone in the NBA 433 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 1: studying Kobe or preparing to stop Kobe, or at least 434 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: slow him down, or at least try. Brown knew that 435 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 1: Kobe would want to put on a show in Philly, 436 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 1: that he would be shooting the ball every chance he got. 437 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: When Brown was working under Gregg Popovitch with the Antonio Spurs, 438 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 1: he and the other coaches would ask themselves the same 439 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 1: question every time they had to face Kobe, and they 440 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 1: answer it the same way every time. Here's Brown, you 441 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: know what sort of you prepared to die on? It 442 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: was always the three point shot, you know, So if 443 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 1: you was gonna be you with threes, you know, there 444 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: wasn't much you could do about that. If you you 445 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 1: did what you just said. What what fluor spots did 446 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 1: you worry most about? He was incredibly efficient, proficient, pickle 447 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 1: word whatever words you want at elbows in in wings 448 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 1: like that. We called it the calm Alone line. That 449 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 1: was pops fur bitch. And if you just took sort 450 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: of a line from the elbow of a found line 451 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: to the corner that die, you know that flaw spot 452 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 1: he was incredible at. You remember Karl Malone, right, he 453 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:00,160 Speaker 1: was the Hall of Fame power forward for the utah As. 454 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:03,600 Speaker 1: One of his bread and butter moves was a little 455 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:07,400 Speaker 1: half fadeaway half jumper that he loved to shoot from 456 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 1: a few feet inside three point part. He'd usually be 457 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 1: open to take that shot off a pick and pop 458 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: with point guard John Stock. That's what Brown means when 459 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 1: he talks about the Karl Malone line draw trapezoid on 460 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 1: a basketball court from the corners of the court to 461 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 1: the upper corners of the lane. And Malone lived on 462 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:31,920 Speaker 1: the lines of that trapezoid. So did Kobe. And when 463 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 1: he came to getting a shot off, he might have 464 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 1: had the best footwork of any wing player in basketball history. 465 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 1: And you know he without getting too technical on the 466 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 1: specifics of his footwork, he could he whether it was 467 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 1: a forward pivot, whether it was an inside pivot whether 468 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: he really wanted his dominant pivot foot, which was his 469 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 1: left foot in his right foot was free where he 470 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: could play a little bit of a rocker step type game. 471 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:02,000 Speaker 1: You know, those two elbows, those two Malone lines on 472 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 1: the right side and the left side. He just was 473 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 1: incredibly efficient and dangerous, especially from those spots. Kobe's footwork 474 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:15,600 Speaker 1: was impeccable. He was prideful at drilling it. He was 475 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:19,480 Speaker 1: adamant on on dictating like this is how I'm gonna 476 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 1: play in and a lot of times, Mike, when you 477 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 1: as I said, to start six seconds left, you can 478 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 1: book it like he's gonna be on one of the 479 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:34,840 Speaker 1: elbows or one of those Malone lines that I spoke of, 480 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: and you know he's gonna stick his dominant pivot foot 481 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 1: and then at that point you've got your hands full. 482 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 1: So Brown and the Sixers picked their poison. They would 483 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:49,200 Speaker 1: let Kobe shoot threes, and well this happened. He's also 484 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: one of their best three one guys. Probably loses off 485 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 1: time starting to a game between the two words records 486 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 1: on the move, he didn't go they three. The Sixers 487 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:14,880 Speaker 1: weren't just a bad team that season. They were a young, 488 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 1: inexperienced team, star struck by Kobe and the charged atmosphere 489 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:23,760 Speaker 1: inside the Wells Spargo Center. One of their best bench players, 490 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:27,960 Speaker 1: for example, was t J McConnell. McConnell has since established 491 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 1: himself as one of the best backup point guards in 492 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 1: the NBA, but at the time, he was just a 493 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:37,000 Speaker 1: rookie and he and his teammates weren't carrying out the 494 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:40,600 Speaker 1: defensive strategy that Brown wanted them to play. If we 495 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 1: wanted to blitz Kobe, to go double team moment, and 496 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: I remember calling a time out. Now it's going to 497 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: teach a you know, are you gonna blitz him or 498 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,840 Speaker 1: you're gonna kiss him? T J was. T J was starstruck. 499 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:56,520 Speaker 1: He Mike, he was starstruck. Like all my guys you 500 00:32:56,600 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: don't want his autograph more than they want to defend 501 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,480 Speaker 1: him well, and he came out and hit like four 502 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 1: out of his first five shots. He came out and 503 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 1: I think with ten minutes and like forty seconds he 504 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: was three ft four from threes. It's true and uh 505 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:16,320 Speaker 1: and they were all threes, which is what I said. 506 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 1: You know, ten minutes ago, if you had what sod 507 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: you gonna die and it's gonna be the three and 508 00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:25,160 Speaker 1: h It's true. He came into Philadelphia and just lit 509 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 1: up the building. At the start, the building was electric. 510 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 1: Bryant another thraity, drained it. Kobe Bryant is fourth three 511 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: of the game, his first points of the quarter, but 512 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:42,240 Speaker 1: he's high man in the game. With sixteen. Kobe couldn't 513 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 1: keep up his hot shooting. He finished seven of twenty 514 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 1: six from the field and scored twenty points, and the 515 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,920 Speaker 1: Lakers actually lost. It was the six Ers first victory 516 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:55,880 Speaker 1: of the season. I was in the building that night 517 00:33:56,320 --> 00:33:59,400 Speaker 1: to write a column about Kobe for the Philadelphia Inquirer. 518 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 1: The Philly fans had shown Kobe their love and appreciation 519 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:06,600 Speaker 1: for him in a way they never had before, but 520 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:09,280 Speaker 1: it was clear he wasn't really the same player anymore. 521 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:13,920 Speaker 1: He was thirty seven. He moved a little slower, jumped 522 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:17,920 Speaker 1: a little lower. His footwork and fundamentals weren't enough to 523 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:22,760 Speaker 1: overcome the limitations that age had imposed on him. Plus, 524 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:27,400 Speaker 1: the sport was changing, centering itself around offensive efficiency and 525 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:31,280 Speaker 1: the three point shot. The Golden State Warriors, with Steph 526 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:34,840 Speaker 1: Curry and Clay Thompson, the best shooting backcourt the NBA 527 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:38,160 Speaker 1: has ever seen, had won the championship a few months earlier, 528 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:40,759 Speaker 1: and they were in the midst of a season in 529 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 1: which they'd win a league record seventy three games and 530 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:47,439 Speaker 1: reached the finals. Again, the idea that a team should 531 00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:50,719 Speaker 1: build itself around a player like Kobe, a player who 532 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:54,120 Speaker 1: took long two point jumpers, a player who could score 533 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:57,520 Speaker 1: from anywhere on the floor and would shoot from even 534 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:01,120 Speaker 1: the places where the stats said he shouldn't, was totally 535 00:35:01,239 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 1: passet if you can kind of put Kobe in context 536 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:13,200 Speaker 1: in that regard, like Wold, with modern coaches allowed him 537 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:15,719 Speaker 1: to play the way that he played. As silly as 538 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:19,320 Speaker 1: that sounds, no, I mean, it's it's a good question. 539 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:23,239 Speaker 1: And I I've seen a lot over two decades with 540 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 1: trends and things in the NBA. You know, the NBA 541 00:35:27,040 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 1: has changed in so so so many ways over that 542 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:34,239 Speaker 1: twenty year period that I'm that I'm speaking of, and 543 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,759 Speaker 1: you know, with the exception of what two years I 544 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:42,279 Speaker 1: was in the NBA, every one of Kobe's years and 545 00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:46,400 Speaker 1: you know, you look at it in the analytics topic 546 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:50,319 Speaker 1: that we're speaking of. Um, it's one of the most 547 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:53,880 Speaker 1: profound things that have crept into our league. And I 548 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,640 Speaker 1: think at times, if you're not careful, it really it 549 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:02,160 Speaker 1: crushes I think a spirit of a player. It can 550 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:06,680 Speaker 1: influence coaches. Uh if if you're not careful, and it 551 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:09,640 Speaker 1: did me, you know in in in ways that you 552 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:14,720 Speaker 1: look back and it's it's just negative. It doesn't let's 553 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:19,239 Speaker 1: score a score. Now. I think that that blanket um 554 00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:23,759 Speaker 1: comment that I have just made. He can creep into 555 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:27,080 Speaker 1: other people, role players. You know, you don't want role 556 00:36:27,160 --> 00:36:29,800 Speaker 1: players taken long too. Is that are contested, like we 557 00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 1: all get that. But you know Kobe Bryant's ability to 558 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:37,800 Speaker 1: just get buckets and school points and kind of do 559 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:40,880 Speaker 1: it when he put his mind to it, he was 560 00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:44,239 Speaker 1: just off the charts. And after that game, Brown was 561 00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:47,880 Speaker 1: in his office at the arena, still decompressing, when he 562 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:50,920 Speaker 1: heard a knock on his door. It was Alan Lumpkin, 563 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:54,440 Speaker 1: who has been the Sixers travel director and team liaison 564 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:57,520 Speaker 1: for years. He said, coaching, you have a guest wants 565 00:36:57,560 --> 00:37:00,719 Speaker 1: to say hello, and and Kobe knocked on the door 566 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:04,080 Speaker 1: and came in and I, as I said, you know, 567 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:07,440 Speaker 1: I've known him because of the London Olympic Games, coaching 568 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:12,239 Speaker 1: against him. Uh, overseas a few all Star Games and 569 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:15,560 Speaker 1: this and that. So there was a you know, a 570 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:17,759 Speaker 1: brief history that I had hit with him. And he 571 00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:19,719 Speaker 1: came in and he knew my son was going to 572 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 1: Long Mari in high school and and obviously he he 573 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:25,840 Speaker 1: had wished the six as well, and knew well trying 574 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:28,840 Speaker 1: to you know, get the program back on track. But 575 00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:33,000 Speaker 1: I sat with him for forty five minutes and they 576 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:35,920 Speaker 1: had to knock on my door and you know, get 577 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:37,800 Speaker 1: him out and tell him any of the bus was leaving, 578 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:41,239 Speaker 1: they're going back to the hotel. But and so the 579 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 1: conversation was all about now what for him? And he 580 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:48,960 Speaker 1: just blew me away with his vision of what he 581 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:52,800 Speaker 1: wanted his life to be after basketball. He just he 582 00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:55,719 Speaker 1: was just in the game. He was engaged. It was 583 00:37:55,840 --> 00:37:59,640 Speaker 1: just a glow and energy about what was going to 584 00:37:59,719 --> 00:38:03,000 Speaker 1: be for Kobe. And uh, it was a heck of 585 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:10,719 Speaker 1: a night. It was a great night. Brett Brown was right, 586 00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:13,879 Speaker 1: It was a heck of a night. I was there, 587 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:17,239 Speaker 1: and the love that Sixers fans and that Philadelphia in 588 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:21,000 Speaker 1: general showed to Kobe was something to see. He'd always 589 00:38:21,040 --> 00:38:24,000 Speaker 1: had a love hate relationship with the city, with a 590 00:38:24,040 --> 00:38:27,120 Speaker 1: lot more emphasis on the hate, but I'd argue that's 591 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:30,359 Speaker 1: only because they were so alike and had so much 592 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:34,120 Speaker 1: in common. Kobe wanted to win more than anything. Philly 593 00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:37,440 Speaker 1: fans want to win more than anything. Yeah. Yeah, he 594 00:38:37,640 --> 00:38:40,320 Speaker 1: wasn't really from the city. He was from the Bourbs. 595 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:43,960 Speaker 1: He was a Laker blah blah blah. As you can 596 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:47,320 Speaker 1: see from this episode, from his early life to the 597 00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:49,960 Speaker 1: prime of his career to the end of his two 598 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:54,200 Speaker 1: decades with the Lakers, Kobe was as tough, as driven, 599 00:38:54,800 --> 00:38:58,600 Speaker 1: as determined to achieve greatness as anyone who ever played 600 00:38:58,640 --> 00:39:02,480 Speaker 1: in the NBA. That's exactly the sort of athlete that 601 00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:06,640 Speaker 1: a city like Philadelphia or Los Angeles or New York 602 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:12,440 Speaker 1: or any city in the world would have appreciated and adored. No, 603 00:39:13,320 --> 00:39:16,920 Speaker 1: Kobe technically wasn't from philip but if he had played 604 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:21,960 Speaker 1: in Philly, it would have been time NBA Champions of 605 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:25,759 Speaker 1: Six six card from Harvar in high school where he 606 00:39:25,840 --> 00:39:37,960 Speaker 1: won the title, and not Cofee Well, it would have 607 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:51,520 Speaker 1: been just about perfect. I Am Kobe is a production 608 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:54,800 Speaker 1: of the Version podcasts in association with I Heart Radio. 609 00:39:55,600 --> 00:39:58,520 Speaker 1: This season is written and hosted by me Mike Sealsky. 610 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:02,600 Speaker 1: It's produced by Jacob Bronstein and directed by Mark Francis. 611 00:40:03,239 --> 00:40:08,640 Speaker 1: Story editing by Jacob Bronstein, with editorial direction from Scott Waxman, Editing, 612 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:12,520 Speaker 1: mixing and sound design by Mark Francis. Stephen Thompkins is 613 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:16,640 Speaker 1: our production assistant. Our theme music is Create Yourself by 614 00:40:16,719 --> 00:40:21,520 Speaker 1: Grover Brown featuring Justin Starling. Find Create Yourself wherever you 615 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:26,960 Speaker 1: stream music. Music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Freesans Sinking, 616 00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:32,200 Speaker 1: Executive producers are Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Join the 617 00:40:32,239 --> 00:40:35,720 Speaker 1: conversation about I Am Kobe on social media on Twitter 618 00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:40,640 Speaker 1: and Instagram. It's at diversion Pods thanks to Orin Rosenbaum, 619 00:40:40,760 --> 00:40:46,080 Speaker 1: Susan Cannavan and Jeremy Treatment the Iris before the Son. 620 00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:48,080 Speaker 1: They don't want to stand. When I said to Brian, 621 00:40:48,239 --> 00:40:50,439 Speaker 1: is fun. Never clack you out, even when my work 622 00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:52,759 Speaker 1: is done. If they're trying to black me, I might heart. 623 00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:55,439 Speaker 1: Someone throw the blood sweat and says, we part sever 624 00:40:55,719 --> 00:40:58,200 Speaker 1: stay tending in, let it keep us in. If they 625 00:40:58,239 --> 00:41:00,680 Speaker 1: don't believe in themselves, table vert to fit that the 626 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:03,719 Speaker 1: champion's head. So I'm telling them, ask my am, this 627 00:41:04,120 --> 00:41:07,520 Speaker 1: the reason why my work so damn different to the negatives. 628 00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:10,520 Speaker 1: I can't listen see me at the tip, you can't 629 00:41:10,760 --> 00:41:14,000 Speaker 1: listen for where I'm gonna vote to play like cash 630 00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:17,439 Speaker 1: is see I pay my dudes because of taxes. Gotta work, 631 00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:19,440 Speaker 1: I think and grind ahead of his time. So I'm 632 00:41:19,640 --> 00:41:21,600 Speaker 1: saying that they made you. Don't tell them you create 633 00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:26,400 Speaker 1: yourself the best you finn or watch us by this 634 00:41:26,680 --> 00:41:30,080 Speaker 1: by that time you gotta steak clock, then break clock, 635 00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:35,200 Speaker 1: break we create yourself. Watch me question, watch me to 636 00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:43,120 Speaker 1: create myself. Exac client times up and create yourself. Say nice, 637 00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:47,160 Speaker 1: ain't go hard create yourself. You gotta learn from the 638 00:41:47,239 --> 00:41:50,160 Speaker 1: great minds. But we ain't lying. Tell them that this anytime, 639 00:41:51,160 --> 00:41:54,279 Speaker 1: This time wasn't given, it was made the future any 640 00:41:54,360 --> 00:41:56,839 Speaker 1: time I can change better, tell them that I made 641 00:41:56,880 --> 00:41:59,400 Speaker 1: it back home. As I walked through the hearts of 642 00:41:59,440 --> 00:42:01,600 Speaker 1: the fame, I came from the valley of the Shadow, 643 00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:04,399 Speaker 1: with death waiting for us. Some spoons don't hold your breath, 644 00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:06,719 Speaker 1: sat Town, sat trains. But I did it with less. 645 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:10,160 Speaker 1: I know one that the being. So there's nothing to guess. Yeah, 646 00:42:10,600 --> 00:42:13,839 Speaker 1: there's nothing to guess. It's our times. Something we up next. 647 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:16,279 Speaker 1: We don't got any regrests. I did it with my 648 00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:19,440 Speaker 1: soul hands and we never forgets my air. This the 649 00:42:19,520 --> 00:42:22,839 Speaker 1: reason why my work so damn different to the negatives. 650 00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:25,279 Speaker 1: I can't listen to see me at the time, you 651 00:42:25,520 --> 00:42:30,960 Speaker 1: can't listen for where, rebuild, rechape, give me your eye. 652 00:42:31,040 --> 00:42:33,640 Speaker 1: You got to risk take do it now. When I'm 653 00:42:33,680 --> 00:42:35,840 Speaker 1: saying why waits, I was saying that they may you 654 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:39,280 Speaker 1: will tell them you create yourself the best you Finn 655 00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:44,520 Speaker 1: watch us by. It's bad that time. You gotta sneak clock, 656 00:42:44,600 --> 00:42:49,759 Speaker 1: then break clock. Break we create ourselves. Watch me, watch 657 00:42:49,880 --> 00:42:57,960 Speaker 1: me create myself. Exac climb signs up. Create yourself. Say 658 00:42:58,160 --> 00:43:02,160 Speaker 1: nice and ain't so hard? Create yourself. You gotta lie 659 00:43:02,200 --> 00:43:04,600 Speaker 1: for the great minds, but we ain't lying. Tell them 660 00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:32,560 Speaker 1: that's any time, ye. Diversion Podcasts