What is the “Mamba mentality?”
Some might point to a silky, smooth turnaround jump shot. Others might say it’s scoring 81 points in a single game.
No, no, that’s not it. Try again. What really is the “Mamba mentality?”
On a day that started off like any other, it ends with my heart broken and chills coursing through my body. Not because the world lost a five-time NBA champion. Rather, we lost someone who transcended sports, who blurred the lines between superstardom and ordinary, who did something very few humans ever could: bring people together regardless of differences.
Ironically, I grew up a Chicago Bulls fan, and had an undying love for Michael Jordan. I, along with countless others, thought Jordan was untouchable, his statistics insurmountable. That was until Kobe Bryant came along.
Generations ago, aspiring young basketball players mimicked the mannerisms of Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and others. But once Bryant entered the league, he became the de facto superstar.
Bryant evolved into the singular phenomenon that fans everywhere waited hours to see, including myself. I can still picture the exact moment, nearly a decade ago at the United Center in Chicago, when the 6-foot-6-inch legend glanced my way as he was running off the court and gave me a high-five.
I was awe-struck. I told myself I’d never wash my right hand again. That’s the power Bryant commanded, no matter what arena he entered or what court he stepped on.
Aside from Dwayne Wade and Derrick Rose, for me, there was no one more electrifying throughout my childhood than Bryant. From his patented fadeaway jump shot to his emphatic reverse dunks, Bryant embodied what most young kids dreamed of.
Eighteen all-star selections, two finals MVP awards and two NBA scoring titles later, Bryant had forever etched his name atop basketball’s kingdom. The only thing left to do after 20 seasons: enjoy retirement.
But Bryant never wanted to be known as just a basketball player. He didn’t want to be the one to just retire and ride away into the sunset, burrowed deep behind the tranquility that comes with life after sports. At his core, Bryant wanted to be a storyteller; someone who drove others to chase their dreams, no matter how outlandish or trivial.
On Nov. 9, 2019, in an interview with Dana Jacobson on “CBS This Morning Saturday,” Bryant was asked, “Fifty years from now how do you want the world to look at Kobe Bryant?”
Bryant responded, “as a person that was able to create stories that inspired their children and families to bond together.”
That quote, since Bryant first voiced it less than six months ago, made my adoration for him grow inexplicably.
Here was this guy, who held nearly every record in Lakers' lore, sitting before a national television audience telling them his passion was storytelling. Bryant showed the world a glimpse into his undeniable craft when he won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018. It would be the final major project he would put out, though, as his talent was tragically cut short before it could fully reveal itself.
We’ll never quite know what Bryant would’ve accomplished if he were given 50 more years. Following his NBA career, he spoke extensively about wanting to start his own business, produce his own films and be a normal father and husband to his family. Whether Bryant would’ve achieved those things isn’t the question, but just how successful and fruitful he would’ve made those desires will forever remain a candle light still burning.
So now I ask you again, what is the “Mamba mentality?”
Perhaps it’s a way of life. Enduring love and passion for something so strong that you’ll stop at nothing to reach the end destination. Or maybe it’s an attitude. The kind of swagger that shows no one is going to outwork you.
Regardless of your definition, it all stems from the path laid forth by No. 8 and No. 24. His career on the court won’t soon be forgotten, but his life off of it leaves behind a mark as indelible as any public figure of this generation.
“Have a good time, enjoy life,” Bryant said in a 2008 interview with CBS. “Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged.”
