Kobe Bryant’s unrelenting drive to win, and the consequences of that drive, are well-documented. The Lakers legend was never afraid to sacrifice his own physical well-being for the good of the team, and his competitive nature is a source of inspiration for many. Metta World Peace, however, did not share the same drive, and his time with the Lakers was marred by a series of injuries and incidents.
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We all love a good Kobe Bryant story. In fact, before the season began we all thought we already knew the story of Kobe Bryant’s life. But it turns out, there’s much more to the retired LA Laker shooting guard’s life than we thought. One of the big revelations this season was how Bryant wanted to end his career, and there’s a little history behind that.. Read more about ron artest and let us know what you think.
If you watch the NBA, you’ve almost certainly heard stories about Kobe Bryant’s unwavering work ethic during his illustrious time with the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant was obsessed with being the best, and even when he was the best player in the league, he had a chip on his shoulder.
In fact, the five-time champion astonished some of the NBA’s hardest workers, including Metta World Peace, a former Lakers colleague.
Kobe Bryant was a hard worker who put in long hours every day.
Bryant’s desire to be the best could only be compared to that of one other person: Michael Jordan. Given how much work they put into the game themselves, both stars wanted to win at any costs and expected a lot from their teammates.
Even as a young player, Bryant was known for arriving early and staying late at practice.
Byron Scott, Bryant’s former teammate and coach, told Business Insider in 2017: “I would always have to come to practice early to have my treatment and be ready for practice being the elder statesman.”
Scott was 35 years old when he met Bryant, an 18-year-old rookie.
“I came in once… I could hear the ball bounce. There were no lights turned on. According to Business Insider, practice started at 11 a.m. “It was probably around 9 a.m. or 9:30 a.m.,” Scott said. “And I look out on the court, and there’s Kobe Bryant.” He’s out there in the dark firing. And I stood there for about 10 seconds, thinking to myself, ‘This kid is going to be fantastic.’
However, once practice began, the future Hall of Famer approached each day as if it were Game 7 of the playoffs.
“Are we getting ready to scrimmage?” We’re on the second team, and he went after Eddie Jones every day to demonstrate coach Del Harris, ‘No, this is my job; I have no idea why this man is starting.’ Bryant’s teammate during his second season in the NBA, Jon Barry, remarked earlier this year on The Dan Patrick Show. “When we first started scrimmaging, every day was Game 7. He was as determined as any man I’d ever met.”
Metta World Peace was taken aback by Kobe Bryant’s work ethic.
On May 12, 2012, Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant talks with teammate Metta World Peace during Game 7 of a Western Conference first-round series. | Getty Images/Harry How
Metta World Peace, also known as Ron Artest and Metta Sandiford-Artest, was a brilliant player who had the opportunity to play with some great players throughout his career. Reggie Miller, Yao Ming, and Tracy McGrady were all on his club. World Peace, on the other hand, recently told Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay that few players had a higher work ethic than him.
On the Aug. 9 broadcast, the 2003-04 Defensive Player of the Year noted, “I don’t know of many people that worked harder than me.” “It wasn’t just about the game; it was also about your defense and cardio. It was basically cardio when I was guarding guys. I was simply outlasting the competition.”
World Peace, on the other hand, was a member of the Lakers from 2009-10 to 2012-13, then again in 2015-16. And the 18-time All-Star, he said, was a different tale.
He told Sharpe, “Kobe was probably one of the only men I’ve seen work as hard as me.” “I was kicking myself in the brain when I saw Kobe’s work. ‘You let this guy outwork you?’ I say. ‘This person is working incredibly hard,’ I think to myself. This is insane.’ He gets up at 5:30 a.m. to go to the gym. ‘This is why you’re not a champion,’ I say. You’re not a champion because of this. At 5:30 p.m., go to the gym.’
For Kobe and Metta World Peace, the hard work paid off.
Metta World Peace hit a game-changing three-pointer in Game 7 on this day in 2010 (via @HoHighlights). pic.twitter.com/Vb29lpdlSP
— NBA (@BR NBA) on Twitter, June 17, 2019
As you probably know, Kobe Bryant’s dedication paid off, and while with the Lakers, he became one of the greatest players in NBA history.
It did, however, pay off in terms of world peace.
By the time he arrived in Los Angeles alongside Bryant in 2009-10, he was already a past Defensive Player of the Year and a one-time All-Star. But it was with the Lakers that World Peace finally earned the championship he craved, as he assisted Bryant in winning one of his five NBA titles in 2010.
World Peace scored a 3-pointer with 1:01 left in Game 7 of the NBA Finals that season against the Boston Celtics to extend the Lakers’ lead from three to six points. After that, it was a free throw contest, which LA won 83-79. Bryant’s shooting was a significant cause for his five rings at the end of his career.
Metta World Peace was no slouch, and Kobe Bryant was one of the hardest workers in NBA history. Their unwavering commitment helped the Lakers win the NBA championship in 2010.
Basketball Reference provided the statistics.
As a young NBA player, Kobe Bryant would “sit alone” on team planes and “watch Michael Jordan interviews.”
Metta World Peace ‘kicked’ himself in the head because of Kobe Bryant’s tenacity: ‘This Is Why You Aren’t a Champion’ appeared first on Sportscasting – Pure Sports.
When Metta World Peace fouled Kobe Bryant in the final moments of the Lakers’ heartbreaking Game 5 loss to the Celtics, it was not just his own poor performance on the court that had him kicking himself. “I felt like I let the team down,” said the 6-foot-7, 260-pounder. “I thought if I could have kept that ball alive, I would have a better shot at finishing off the game. I felt like this is why you’re not a champion.”. Read more about metta world peace real name and let us know what you think.
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