The Mamba Mentality: How I Play

by Kobe Bryant

THE ACHILLES INJURY WAS MY PERSONAL MOUNT EVEREST.

We cried about it,

To be so open with one’s emotions is so fascinating.

Acknowledging mortality.

People were saying I might not be able to come back, but I knew I was not going to let it beat me. I was not going to let an injury dictate my retirement; I was going to dictate my retirement. That’s when I decided I had to climb that mountain.

It’s OK to write your fate, to an extent.

I TOOK THE DESIGN OF MY NIKES VERY SERIOUSLY.

I wish I had that type of privilege in life.

I was an absolute perfectionist about the technology that went into my signature sneakers. I cared about every little detail. I cared about the weight, the weight distribution, the materials, the cut, the traction, the durability. I was meticulous about every curve, contour, and stitch. I didn’t want any loose ends. I didn’t want my foot sliding in the shoe. I didn’t want anything that could take my focus, even for an instant, off the game. My sneakers didn’t just have to be comfortable, they had to help me perform better.

This is why Detail happened. Kobe saw everything and knew it mattered to the smallest iota.

The fallacy of a high top was that players believed it protected your ankles. In actuality, it weakens them and saps mobility.

When I was young, my mindset was image, image, image. I took that approach with the media. As I became more experienced I realized: No matter what, people are going to like you or not like you. So be authentic, and let them like you or not for who you actually are. At that point, I started keeping all of my answers blunt and straightforward. I would mix in some humor and sarcasm, too. I think fans and reporters came to appreciate that, came to appreciate the real me.

My routine with Team USA, compared to my NBA routine, was inconsistent. I tried to stick to my regular road workouts, but the big unknown was always the environment. During the NBA season, I knew how every city and stadium operated, which made it easier for me to visualize everything from the bus ride to the final buzzer.

This man was faaaar too meticulous.

When you go to China, Spain, the UK, Turkey, you don’t know what the bus to the game is going to look like, you don’t know what the training room is going to look like, and you don’t know the layout of the arenas. Those details tend to vary, so I had to adjust accordingly.

Adjust to your surroundings ASAP

Mentally, though, I approached national team games with the utmost intensity. I knew I was playing against guys I had never faced before, and I knew I was going to defend the other country’s best player, so I locked in. I studied a lot of film and tried to figure out who my opponents were. The last thing I wanted to do was risk stepping out blindly against an unknown-but-great player.

Approach the unknowns like a battle.

Preparation was critical.

I would have attended Duke had I gone to college.

Figured.

He and I approach winning and losing the same way, in that winning is the goal, and losing is, well, losing isn’t even on the table.

Everything he did—from having generals come to speak with us, having soldiers be a part of our preparation process, having us take tours of national monuments—

This is the Bobby Knight approach.

I ALWAYS AIMED TO KILL THE OPPOSITION.

Well...

I remember there was one half when we were messing around. I came into the locker room at half-time and asked the guys—in a less PG manner—what in the hell we were doing. In the second half, LeBron responded in a big way—he came out with a truly dominant mindset. And I’ve seen him lead that way ever since.

With the talent we had, I knew I didn’t have to worry about offense. I knew I didn’t have to stress over scoring. I was able to single-mindedly focus, like I’d always yearned to, on playing defense.

He cared about what mattered.

I already had three rings, had just gotten to the Finals, and was poised to go back again. From that perspective, I was the alpha in the locker room.

Assuming leadership.

the international game is played differently.

Most players listen to music every game. They have their headphones on religiously and use music to get them in the right state of mind. They’d even sing and dance.

It was a feint to keep people away, and to get in my zone. For the most part, before games I just liked being there, hearing the sounds of the environment and observing everything.

I made every second of the national anthem count. During those precious moments, I’m hearing all the little sounds and imbibing the energy of the arena. I’m taking the opportunity to be aware of what’s going on, to be aware of the teammates around me, the basket in front of me, the basket behind me, all the other sounds and objects. It’s a full concentration and understanding of the arena.

In essence, I’m trying to feel the energy of the environment and allow it to move through me.

That then propels me and fuels me to have a gr...

I started to understand the importance of my personalized meditative process. From then on, I placed an increased emphasis on it.

I liked challenging people and making them uncomfortable. That’s what leads to introspection and that’s what leads to improvement. You could say I dared people to be their best selves.

That approach never wavered. What I did adjust, though, was how I varied my approach from player to player. I still challenged everyone and made them uncomfortable, I just did it in a way that was tailored to them. To learn what would work and for who, I started doing homework and watched how they behaved. I learned their histories and listened to what their goals were. I learned what made them feel secure and where their greatest doubts lay. Once I understood them, I could help bring the best out of them by touching the right nerve at the right time.

I like the way people adjust their teaching method in order to obtain a result.

At the beginning of our first championship run, Tex Winter put me in charge of the triangle offense.

He made me—young me—the de facto leader on the court. Some guys chafed when they heard me calling the shots, and I couldn’t have cared less.

In my final years, I was really hard on D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance, Jr., my younger teammates. I was trying to use my 20 years of experience to expedite their growth. Now, a few years later, it’s gratifying to see that Jordan is wearing my number in Cleveland. That shows me they really internalized and understood my motivations and hopes for them.

This challenges me a great deal.

THE LAKERS ARE A FAMILY.

The OG greats, though, won’t hang around you if you don’t display the same passion as they do. They won’t share their time and memories with you if you don’t display the same effort and drive for excellence that they did.

I think I was accepted so quickly because everyone saw how hard I worked, saw how badly I wanted to fulfill my destiny and return L.A. to its championship ways.

Initially, I thought the phrase “Mamba Mentality” was just a catchy hashtag that I’d start on Twitter. Something witty and memorable. But it took off from there and came to symbolize much more.

The mindset isn’t about seeking a result—it’s more about the process of getting to that result. It’s about the journey and the approach. It’s a way of life. I do think that it’s important, in all endeavors, to have that mentality.

Whether I hear an elite college or NBA player or a Fortune 500 CEO reference the #MambaMentality, I find it very meaningful. When I see people talk about finding inspiration in it, it makes all of my hard work, all of the sweat, all of the 3 AM wakeups feel worth it. That’s why I put together this book. All these pages ...

Michael is standing straight from the waist up. He’s not leaning in either direction, and because of that he is balanced and centered. He is in control of his body, and the play.

Control the world around you. Minimize the strain to obtain mastery

Go after your goal relentlessly