Kobe Bryant January 22, 2006 A regular basketball game turned into a nightmare for the raptors and a sweet dream for any Lakers fans. The Lakers needed someone to step up and for the whole game and one particular individual showed he could carry any team. Sure scoring 50 pts in a game is good 60 even better but 81 that's absurd. That's exactly what kobe Bryant did, Lead his team from behind to win with a career high of 81 pts. Kobe Bryant is a top five player of all time and there should be no debate against that. The rings, the stats, the records, even an Oscar award is plenty of evidence but on top of that he is a great leader. Kobe Bryant is an artist because he is one of the best to ever touch a basketball and his leadership was one …show more content…
Kobe practices and trains harder than anyone in the gym. Shaquille O’neal said that Kobe would spend hours practicing his moves without a ball so when he did have a ball his move would be smooth and perfect. (McCracken). Kobe was always loyal to the team that had enough faith to draft him even though he did not go to college. When things weren’t going to well most would take the money elsewhere but not Kobe, he would stay and try to work things out. Kobe was also very constient he could not only carry mediocre teams to victory but deep into the playoffs. One of the best basketball coaches is shooting coach Dave Hopla, he worked with Kobe before he was drafted and into his early years in the NBA. He said “Kobe has a sense of urgency with everything he does,... Kobe is never satisfied with his game and is always looking to improve. That hunger is what makes him great.” …show more content…
Kobe spends hours preparing for a game, he watches film on the opponent, practices how he can get through the defense, and how he is going to help his team win. Kobe also has the right mindset as a leader, mamba mentality. Kobe said “I’ll do whatever it takes to win games, whether its sitting on the bench, waving a towel, handing a cup of water to my teammates, or hitting the game winning shot.” As a leader Kobe strives for 100 percent from him and for his teammates, it you aren’t giving him that he will let you know what needs to be done to get better. Kobe once said “Are you willing to do what it takes to push the right buttons to elevate those around you.” (Joseph) He also goes on to say that you have to push those buttons even though people may look at you as if you were a villain. “In the interest of larger goals real leadership requires a willingness to say or do unpopular things perhaps damaging the leaders popularity.”(Joseph) A real leader does things that might make him unpopular, some of Kobe's teammates thought he was mean but he was doing what was best for his