1 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: Diversion podcasts where people who actually, you know nothing about 2 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 1: the game I had before. I didn't know it's how 3 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:22,279 Speaker 1: to write paragraphs, and uh, I can take criticism. That 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: just makes you work hard and it makes me prove 5 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: them wrong. Probably didn't care and they're right on the one. 6 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: I'm saying, hey, all the hard working I can do it, 7 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 1: and I'm approve to you, but I can do it. 8 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: And that's how that was. I wasn't upset, UH wasn't 9 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: hurt or anything like that. Just came back to say, man, 10 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 1: I prove you wrong. That'sh it comes to win, goes 11 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: to my memory bank, it goes to my motivation bank, 12 00:00:45,840 --> 00:01:02,639 Speaker 1: it comes out of the other head. Over the previous 13 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: eleven episodes of this series, we've been exposed to the 14 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: many different sides of the adolescent Kobe Bryant, the young Mamba. 15 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: We saw his confidence, and we saw his insecurities. We 16 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 1: saw the loyalty and love he had for his friends 17 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: and family, and we saw his willingness to let people 18 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: he was close to drift out of his life. We 19 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: saw his raw honesty, and we saw his ability to 20 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 1: manipulate situations and people to his advantage to keep secrets 21 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,119 Speaker 1: to get what he wanted. We've got a good long 22 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: look at a complex kid who became a complex man. 23 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: The clip that opened this episode was, of course, from 24 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: one of Kobe's interviews with Jeremy Treaty. It was from 25 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: early in his senior year at Lower Merit. Jeremy had 26 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,559 Speaker 1: asked him what he thought of the sportswriters and talk 27 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: radio hosts who thought he shouldn't skip college, shouldn't turn pro, 28 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: and probably wouldn't make it in the NBA. You asked 29 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: Kobe a question like that, you're going to get another 30 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: side of him. In return, you're going to get defiance. 31 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 1: And that side of Kobe, his defiance side is one 32 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: that his teammates, his coaches, the media, and plenty of 33 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: other people saw. Throughout his career with the Lakers. Kobe 34 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: was not an approachable guy for most of those twenty years. 35 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: He was a workaholic and often very much a loner 36 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: and entity unto himself. He wasn't accepting much advice from 37 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: his elders and his peers, and it took him a 38 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: while to start dishing any out. This was kind of 39 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: what the Mamba mentality was all about. Imagine you wake 40 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: up at three, you train at four, you go four 41 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 1: to six, come home, breakfast, relax. So so now you're 42 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: back at it again, nine to eleven. Relax, And now 43 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 1: it's done. Your back at it again to the four. 44 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: And how you're back at it again seven to nine. 45 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: Look how much more training I have done by simply 46 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: starting at four? All right? And so now you do that. 47 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: And as the years go on, the separation that you 48 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 1: have with your competitors, in your peers just grows larger 49 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: and larger and larger and larger. But once Kobe reached 50 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 1: the last few seasons of his career and moved into retirement, 51 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: something about him seemed to change. He wrote a best 52 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: selling book, he won an oscar, He embraced his role 53 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: as a girl dad, and he morphed into the wise 54 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 1: old owl of the NBA. Players sought him out for 55 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,679 Speaker 1: counsel and insight, and more importantly, he was open to 56 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: giving it. This was not the Kobe we knew. We're 57 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 1: at the second anniversary of his death, and one of 58 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: the factors that made it more tragic was that Kobe 59 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: appeared to be moving in this new direction in his life. 60 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: There seemed to be more ahead for him. So in 61 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: this bonus episode, we wanted to explore how that change 62 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: might have come about and what this new Kobe was like, 63 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: and we wanted to do it through the perspectives of 64 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: three current NBA players, Guys who could explain what it 65 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: was like to play against or with Kobe, to talk 66 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: to Kobe, to interact with Kobe in those years just 67 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: before his death. Guys who could express the meaning of 68 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: Kobe's legacy in a way most of us never could. 69 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: We'll start out with someone familiar to basketball fans every year. 70 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 1: Fakes put up that's God fine text on the second 71 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: relating he'll still time fix a two point Yeah, so tact. 72 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: Carmelo Anthony, future Hall of Famer, the ninth leading scorer 73 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 1: in NBA history, is in his nineteenth season in the 74 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: league and his first with the Lakers. I didn't interview Mellow, 75 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,599 Speaker 1: but two guys who have covered the NBA much longer 76 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: and much better than I have, Jack McCallum and j A. 77 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 1: Adonde did. They talked to him for season two of 78 00:04:56,200 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: another diversion podcast, the Dream Team Tapes. Mellow and Kobe 79 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: were teammates for the US at the two thousand eight 80 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: and two thousand twelve Summer Olympics. The other two players 81 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: are teammates on Kobe's hometown team, the Philadelphia seventy six Ers. 82 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: I spoke with Seth Curry and Tobias Harris about their 83 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: vantage points on Kobe, what it was like to grow 84 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:21,720 Speaker 1: up watching him, and what it was like to meet 85 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,559 Speaker 1: him and play against him, and more important, as Seth 86 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: Curry says here, we spoke about why Kobe's presence and 87 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: spirit are still felt throughout the NBA, the guys who 88 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: are in the league and of guys who grew up 89 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: watching I played. We grew up on him, um from 90 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: their little kids to play twenty years in the league 91 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:45,279 Speaker 1: or whatever. So that's twenty years of our start learning 92 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: the game, first watching the game. And we kind of 93 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: saw his whole career as a youngster, his time with 94 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 1: the Lakers, his whole career with the Lakers, ups and downs, tragedy, 95 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: triumphs the way, but became a lout of adversity. So uh, 96 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: I'm saying he's just one of the greatest ever do it, 97 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 1: and he did it his own way, So I mean 98 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 1: that respect level was present across the league. I'm Mike 99 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: Sealski and from Diversion Podcasts, This is I am cool, 100 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:32,600 Speaker 1: I love, Why sweet? Why Steve create myself? Exac signs 101 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: up and create yourself. Say nice, now, go on create yourself. 102 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: You gotta line for the great minds. But we ain't 103 00:06:42,040 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 1: lyne tell them next any time. Episode twelve, Legacy through 104 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: Carmelo Anthony's first five years in the NBA, he and 105 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: Kobe Bryant weren't really friends. They might text now and again, 106 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: but they weren't what anyone would call close and mellow. Well, 107 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: his perception of Kobe was one that was pretty common 108 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 1: around the league. Here he is again talking to Jack 109 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 1: and j A like he, I mean, he don't give 110 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: a damn Like he don't got no friends. He just 111 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 1: all about basketball. He just locked in seven like that's 112 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: who he was. It wasn't my perception, was his reality 113 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: like that was everybody knew that. You know, Kobe ain't 114 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: trying to be cool with nobody, like you don't want 115 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: no friends, like he focused on being great in basketball 116 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: and training and keeping like he was he always trying 117 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: to figure out a way how to get one up 118 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: on somebody and try to get the age. So we 119 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: knew that I knew that, but then once we got 120 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: in OH eight, that was when our our relationship really 121 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: took off. When Mellow says OH eight, he's talking about 122 00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: the run up to the two thousand eight Summer Olympics 123 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: in Beijing. The US men's basketball team at those games 124 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: was known as the Redeemed Team because the US had 125 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 1: finished sixth at the two thousand two World Championships and 126 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 1: had struggled to take bronze at the OH four Games 127 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: in Athens. The Redeemed Team had Kobe and Mellow and 128 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: Lebron James and Dwyane Wade, and the team's leadership corps 129 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: wanted to make a few things clear to Kobe before 130 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: they embarked on their quest to win the gold medal. 131 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: He couldn't be selfish, He couldn't be a gunner. He 132 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: had the sacrifice for the good of the team. Because 133 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: of the pree noting that everybody had about Kobe him 134 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 1: coming on the team, everybody expected that him to bring 135 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 1: what he was doing with the Lakers, and you know, 136 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: everybody just thought that's what he was going to do 137 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 1: coming on that team, and as leaders on the team 138 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,719 Speaker 1: that was approached before that, you know, it was sit 139 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 1: down with cold like listen, bro, like, we don't need 140 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: the Laker Kobe, Like you know what I'm saying, like 141 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: we we need we need you to be who you are. 142 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: But you're playing with you know, you're playing with the best. 143 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: Now you're playing the best of the best. So I 144 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: think at first it took him a little while for 145 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: for him to adjust to that. Once he did, though, 146 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: Kobe was the best player on that Olympic team, and 147 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: he didn't have to shoot all the time to do it. 148 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: Ryan gets its side, kicks it out the anthonies, but 149 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: shooting wild backs off the time. He was a tone 150 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 1: center with his work, ethic and defense, and by opening 151 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 1: himself up to his teammate's advice and suggestions, Kobe expanded 152 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 1: his vision for the kind of player and the kind 153 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: of person he could be. Here's mellow again, the way 154 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: that he bought himself to become so comfortable with us, 155 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: you know, and the players on the team, and you know, 156 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: really understanding like okay, like this is a band of 157 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: brothers here, Like you know, in the Lakers, he was, 158 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: he was who he was, he would you know, he 159 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: come in early in the morning, he come in late 160 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: at night and he's working and he's doing his thing, 161 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 1: and he's out when people coming there. There it was 162 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:09,679 Speaker 1: you know, he never let nobody in there with us 163 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: like he was. You know, he was very you know, 164 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 1: secretive and stand office with us. Like you saw him 165 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 1: like slowly letting his guard down, even on the buses, 166 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:25,560 Speaker 1: you know, even going to the Olympic village and going 167 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: to other sporting events, like you saw the guard coming 168 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: coming down. You saw those bricks falling, and he was 169 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: fully immersed in and what we was doing and being 170 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: there with us, and that was something that was like Okay, 171 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 1: he finally like okay, we got the last brick down, 172 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 1: like the wall is down, Like it's down, y'all. This 173 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: damn we did a good job. Like it was you 174 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: almost felt like a sense of victory seeing him laugh 175 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 1: the way that he was laughing and you know, talking 176 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 1: and communicating and stories and just like you, we felt that. 177 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 1: I don't think it's a coincidence that Kobe won his 178 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 1: final two NBA championships with the Lakers in two thousand 179 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 1: nine and two thousand ten right after Beijing. And I 180 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 1: don't think it's a coincidence that the changes we saw 181 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: in Kobe began in earnest around then too. I really 182 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 1: see the two thousand eight Olympics as a turning point 183 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: in his career and in his life. The Kobe he 184 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: became during the O eight Games was the Kobe he 185 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: remained until the day he died. I think we gave 186 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: him another egge. We gave him another level of sharpness 187 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: because he knew like how sharp we were on that team, 188 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: you know, from us getting up early in the morning 189 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 1: and training and working out and talking and can you 190 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 1: watch the film and and you know, having fun too. 191 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: But he saw the sharpness that we had on that 192 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 1: team everybody and and what what I used to say 193 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: was iron sharpness iron and he understood that. He understands 194 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 1: that language. And he also understand something that we submit him. 195 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: We've always say, lions don't hang with nobody other than lions. Right. 196 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 1: That's a gigantic shot, great played by Kobe Bryant. I 197 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 1: thought if you could controllers another three pubby Big Plubbly 198 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: buy from Balti the fil Paul flows in ahead, Koby 199 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 1: bin SoRs just about supper Fritish. Hey, this is Mike Sealsky, 200 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: host and writer of I Am Kobe, This podcast project 201 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: came out of my work on a related book called 202 00:12:56,160 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: The Rise Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality. If 203 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 1: you want to explore other parts of Kobe's story, check 204 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: out The Rise. It's not just a book version of 205 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 1: the podcast. I dive deeper into some of the topics 206 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 1: covered in this series, and even some that we don't 207 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:15,559 Speaker 1: cover at all. Kobe's upbringing, his family, his identity, his 208 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: effect on his friends and teammates, his journey into the 209 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: n b A, and his earliest days with the Lakers. 210 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:25,439 Speaker 1: The Rise Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality is 211 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 1: out now. Just head over to the Rise of Kobe 212 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 1: book dot com and you can buy it from any 213 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 1: of your favorite retailers. That's The Rise of Kobe book 214 00:13:36,640 --> 00:14:01,040 Speaker 1: dot Com. Thanks. So, how did the characteristics of this 215 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: new Kobe manifest themselves? What was he like and how 216 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: is he different? In those latter years of his career 217 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: and during his retirement. We heard from Carmelo about how 218 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: and why Kobe changed, but he had known Kobe for 219 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:16,960 Speaker 1: a long time. I wanted to talk to a couple 220 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: of players who didn't meet Kobe until much later, who 221 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: grew up idolizing him. Seth Curry and Tobias Harris of 222 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: the Sixers fit that description, and each had an interesting 223 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: or unique connection to Kobe. Seth is the son of 224 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: longtime NBA sharpshooter Del Curry and of course the younger 225 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 1: brother of superstar Steph Curry. Dell played against Kobe, Steph 226 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: played against Kobe, and Seth played against Kobe. Here's Seth. 227 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 1: Did you see the amount of half for Kobe? Long 228 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: devity and what he means? What he means to the game. 229 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: Remember growing up as a kid, um my dad playing 230 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: against him back is one of my favorite players back then, 231 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 1: the number eight. I just remember one cool let my 232 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: dad played at one time. He came back in the 233 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: d of the night from l a Um and he 234 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: brought me signs during the end his games shot from 235 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: that game, so I still have him to this day, 236 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: which is pretty cool. Just before the two thousand fifteen 237 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: sixteen season, Kobe's last in the NBA, Seth was playing 238 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: for the Sacramento Kings, who held a couple of preseason 239 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: games in Las Vegas. One night, while he was there, 240 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: Seth and a few of his teammates went out to eat. 241 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 1: A familiar face was already in the restaurant and Kobe 242 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: in the bag, and then it was him in security 243 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: guard um in the back when he walked out and 244 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: came to came to State with Uther, and he ended 245 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: up sitting sitting with us like hours and shopping up 246 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 1: with us, talking and telling us about me. We're asking 247 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: a question, tell us about what he was doing that 248 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: summer that season, just prepared for his last season, everything 249 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: he had to go through to get ready for a game. Uh, 250 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: he was just telling some crazy stories. So I'm really 251 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: the only chance to having to having extended interactional with Kobe, 252 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: talking to gain with him, just learning, picking his brain, 253 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: seeing how he how he taked. And it was kind 254 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 1: of cool because it was going into his last year. 255 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: You know, he kind of turned the corner as far 256 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 1: as his his competitivenessues only to a point where he 257 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: will to get away some secrets and some tips to 258 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: the other guys that you know, if that was five 259 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: and earlier than that, he wouldn't have told us nearly 260 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: any anything about what he's doing to get ready to play. 261 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: So still a pretty cool experience there. It is if 262 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: Seth had been playing in the NBA before two, before 263 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 1: Kobe went through his Olympic experience, would Kobe have approached 264 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: that table and taken the time to talk with Seth 265 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: and his teammates. I'm not sure that said, I don't 266 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: think Kobe ever lost the essence of who he was, 267 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 1: and Seth didn't think that either. I asked him what 268 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 1: he thought Kobe's legacy was. First of what was this 269 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 1: his competitiveness? I mean drive, his competitiveness to be great. Um, 270 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 1: he sacrifice a lot in his personal life friends, uh, friendship, 271 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: even he says, I his his as with his family 272 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: just to be to be the best of his craft 273 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 1: and to be the um best player could possibly be. 274 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 1: So you gotta respect that. Doing with one franchise for 275 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 1: twenty years. Um, just when his name is just tie 276 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: right in with the Laker, with the Laker organization like 277 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: a culture, the whole city of l A. I think 278 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 1: that's that competitiveness and instead the Laker tradition is is 279 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 1: his legacy. For Tobias Harris, Kobe's legacy was tangible well 280 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 1: after he had retired. Harris was in his seventh NBA 281 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 1: season and with his third NBA team, the Detroit Pistons 282 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: when they traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers in January. 283 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:04,199 Speaker 1: The Clippers and the Lakers share the same home arena. 284 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 1: It was called Staples Center, then it's called Crypto dot 285 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:12,920 Speaker 1: Com Arena now whatever its name. To Tobias, it was 286 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 1: Kobe's house. Yeah, just because, like you know, it was 287 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:21,440 Speaker 1: always a feeling of about woman arenas was with the Clippments, 288 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 1: but just just knowing that it's there's a port of 289 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: Mark on all until his career achievements. You know, just 290 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,919 Speaker 1: even when we were playing the Lakers, excitement seeing out 291 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,680 Speaker 1: your games on TV. It was a real excitement for 292 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: the buzz of l A. But it's because of Kobe 293 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 1: and when he implemented you know, obviously Kobe and shocked 294 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 1: there doing that they had and then after that, but yeah, 295 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 1: being out there is it were like, you know, maybe 296 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 1: and playing in l A and playing in l A. Yeah, 297 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:01,359 Speaker 1: obviously on the two hundred team, but just that that 298 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:05,880 Speaker 1: buzz and basketball I think is was created and kind 299 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: of just heightened through Colby's achievements out there. Tobias is 300 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 1: in his fourth season with the six person and I 301 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: talked with him not long after he was involved in 302 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 1: an incident that made me think of Kobe. It happened 303 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: during a game against the Houston Rockets in Philadelphia. Tobias 304 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 1: has been having a bit of a down season, and 305 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,919 Speaker 1: after he missed an easy shot and Philly fans started 306 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 1: booing it, he raised his arms in defiance as if 307 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: to say, bring it on. Then he hit a shot 308 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: later in the game, and as he ran back down court, 309 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: he said, don't fucking boom. He got a fair amount 310 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:46,080 Speaker 1: of criticism and pushed back for that, which shouldn't be surprising. 311 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:50,360 Speaker 1: Philly fans can be tough, but they're also pretty sensitive. Anyway, 312 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,399 Speaker 1: since the incident had just happened, I asked him if 313 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 1: he'd given any thought to how Kobe would have reacted 314 00:19:56,119 --> 00:20:02,359 Speaker 1: in that situation. He wasn't at eve that. He was 315 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 1: a just on his his work, ethic and and and 316 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: pushing through. So you know, I'll take all those things 317 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: into consideration, of course, and mean, how about it just 318 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 1: continue to work. And you know, I think he was 319 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:21,360 Speaker 1: one of the best playing to his career ups and downs, 320 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: and you know, nothing when he faced him on the floor, 321 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:27,680 Speaker 1: So I think he definitely did a great job of that. 322 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:32,200 Speaker 1: In late August two thousand nineteen, Kobe held a minicamp 323 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 1: for current NBA players. It was invite only and it 324 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: focused almost entirely on offense. Kobe wanted to impart his 325 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:44,560 Speaker 1: knowledge to the next generation of scores. He held the 326 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 1: camp at his Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks, California. It's 327 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: become a legendary event in recent NBA history. Tobias Harris 328 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: was one of the players Kobe invited. Again, I'm not 329 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:00,159 Speaker 1: sure this is something Kobe would have even can sit 330 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: here doing earlier in his life. Yet it stands out 331 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 1: now as one of the reasons that he became such 332 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 1: a respected figure during his retirement. It's not just that 333 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: Kobe decided to try to be a mentor, it's that 334 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: players wanted him to be a mentor. Why What was 335 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,359 Speaker 1: it about him that drew these younger guys to him. 336 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 1: Here's what Tobias told me. You know, I think, honestly, 337 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: this is the game of basketball. I think, you know, 338 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,640 Speaker 1: when I was out there in l A and there's 339 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 1: a group of myself and I think it was like 340 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:38,680 Speaker 1: twenty some guys. But you can see how much he 341 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: loves basketball and how much um basketball was was a 342 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 1: part of him. And really you can see he was 343 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 1: a very good teacher, and I think that was the 344 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 1: thing that he probably knew his whole career. But he retired. 345 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: I think he had like a realization, I've got such 346 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 1: a good teacher at teaching people things that I should 347 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 1: do it more. And I remember where we were at 348 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:08,040 Speaker 1: to camp that was all like an offense camp, and 349 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: he was shown some guys some defense because I joke 350 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,680 Speaker 1: a like, man, that's what That's what I want to 351 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: build this student. Next year of defense, next year, God, 352 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 1: think about it. That was the summer of two thousand nineteen. 353 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 1: There was no next year. Five months later, Kobe was gone. 354 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:43,960 Speaker 1: We are two years removed now from his death, and 355 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:47,879 Speaker 1: in so many ways, it is still surreal. In so 356 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:52,680 Speaker 1: many ways, the shock still lingers. In so many ways, 357 00:22:53,400 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 1: it feels like that tragedy didn't really happen. We've done 358 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 1: our best in this series to give you a fresh 359 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: look at Kobe, a chance to see him and examine 360 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: him and judge him and remember him from a different perspective, 361 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:20,120 Speaker 1: from several different perspectives. Always, though, there was one theme 362 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 1: at the core of this podcast, the drive that made 363 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: Kobe great. Everything was done to try to learn how 364 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:31,920 Speaker 1: to become a better basketball player. Everything, everything, And so 365 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,040 Speaker 1: when you have that point of view, then literally the 366 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:38,640 Speaker 1: world becomes your library to help you to become better 367 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:44,359 Speaker 1: at your craft. The players that had that passion but 368 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 1: weren't willing to commit their entire lives to doing that, right, 369 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: it's a choice. Right, you have other things, You have 370 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:54,200 Speaker 1: a family, you have all these other things that you 371 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:58,240 Speaker 1: have to do. The game can't really be your number 372 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: one priority. And so I was just looking at that like, man, 373 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: I'm this is gonna be fun. You saw a lot 374 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 1: of the young Mamba. You saw some of Kobe and 375 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 1: his crime. In this episode. You saw how Kobe mature, 376 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:18,200 Speaker 1: how even he saw himself in a different way. You 377 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:22,640 Speaker 1: might admire him, you might despise him, but it will 378 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:26,919 Speaker 1: be impossible to forget it. And we appreciate you joining 379 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 1: us as we told this story. I Am Kobe is 380 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 1: a production of the Version Podcasts in association with I 381 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:47,159 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. This season is written and hosted by me 382 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: Mike Sealskin. It's produced by Jacob Bronstein and directed by 383 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:55,919 Speaker 1: Mark Francis. Story editing by Jacob Bronstein, with editorial direction 384 00:24:56,040 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 1: from Scott Waxen. Editing, mixing and sound design by Mark Francis. 385 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 1: Stephen Thompkins is our production assistant. Our theme music is 386 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 1: Create Yourself by Grover Brown featuring Justin Starling. Find Create 387 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 1: Yourself wherever you stream music. Music supervisor is Scott Velasquez 388 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: for fre Soans Sinking. Executive producers are Mark Francis and 389 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:23,720 Speaker 1: Scott Waxman. Join the conversation about I Am Kobe on 390 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 1: social media on Twitter and Instagram. It's at diversion Pods 391 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 1: thanks to Orin Rosenbaum, Susan Cannavan and Jeremy Treatment the 392 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,360 Speaker 1: eyebries before the son. They don't understand when I say 393 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 1: the blind is fun. Never clack you out even where 394 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: my work is done. If they're trying to black me, 395 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 1: I might heart someone throw the blood sweat and says 396 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:46,879 Speaker 1: we part Sufi, stay tending in. Let it keep the 397 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: harus in. If they don't believe in themselves, gab vert 398 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 1: defend that at Sampa says, so on't selling, don't ask 399 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 1: my am. This the reason why I'm I'm wearing so 400 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 1: damn different the negatives. I can listen see me at 401 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: the tap you and listen where I'm a vote to 402 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:05,680 Speaker 1: play like cash is see, I pay my dudes because 403 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 1: taxes gotta work. I think and grind ahead of his time. 404 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: So I'm saying that they made you. Don't tell them 405 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: you create yourself the best you finn watch us by 406 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: that time. You gotta snake clock, then break clock. Break 407 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:25,960 Speaker 1: we create ourselves. Watch me, watch me to create myself. 408 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:32,879 Speaker 1: Exact client signs up and create yourself. They nice and 409 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 1: ain't no hard create yourself. You gotta learn from the 410 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 1: great minds that we ain't lying. Tell them next game time. 411 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 1: This talent wasn't given, it was made the future. Any 412 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 1: time I could change better, tell them that I made 413 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 1: it back home. As I walked through the hearts of 414 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: the fame, I came from the valley of the Shadow 415 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 1: with death waiting for us. Some spoons don't hold your breath, 416 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: sat Town, sat train. But I did it with less. 417 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: I know one that to be. So there's nothing in 418 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 1: the guests, Yeah, there's nothing to guess. It's our times. 419 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: Tell them we up next. We don't got any regrests. 420 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:07,120 Speaker 1: I did it with my soon hands, and we never 421 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:10,240 Speaker 1: forgets my an. This the reason why my work so 422 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 1: damn different to the negatives. I can't listen see me 423 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: at the time. You can't listen for where, rebuild, reach shape, 424 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:22,480 Speaker 1: give me your eye. You got to risk take do 425 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 1: it now. When I'm saying why braves, I'm saying that 426 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 1: they man. You don't tell them you create yourself on 427 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,880 Speaker 1: the bench, you finn or watch us by it's by 428 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:35,399 Speaker 1: that time. You gotta snake clock, then break clock, break 429 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 1: we create ourselves. Watch me clach watch then create myself. 430 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:48,159 Speaker 1: Shack Clin signs up and create yourself. They're nice and 431 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: ain't go on create yourself. Gotta learn from the great minds. No, 432 00:27:53,240 --> 00:28:22,280 Speaker 1: we ain't lying. Tell them next anytime. Diversion podcasts