The Black Mamba never lets anything bother him, when it's from missing big shots, to not passing, or never letting the pressure ever getting to him.
Bryant explained to Yahoo! of why these things never get to him, showing what separates himself from probably 95-percent of the rest of the NBA.
“I don’t give a [expletive] what you say, if I go out there and miss game winners, and people say, ‘Kobe choked, or Kobe is seven for whatever in pressure situations.’ Well, [expletive] you.
“Because I don’t play for your [expletive] approval. I play for my own love and enjoyment of the game. And to win. That’s what I play for. Most of the time, when guys feel the pressure, they’re worried about what people might say about them. I don’t have that fear, and it enables me to forget bad plays and to take shots and play my game.”
Bryant also doesn't worry about what people say about his legacy, either. He never worries about his own...ever.
“The fallout is always something that makes some guys hesitant,” Bryant said. “They’re thinking about their legacies, their reputations.”
When I first heard these quotes, I instantly thought of LeBron James. And honestly, it's sad to say this, but this basically describes him.
Looking at it, James does seem like he worries about what others say. Back in Cleveland, I never really saw that from him. Ever since he has came to Miami, his legacy and his clutch is always in question and he's always has had a problem with that.
Related: 2012 NBA Playoffs: Miami Heat's LeBron James Should Have Never Left the Cleveland Cavaliers
James always has felt the pressure, and it has shown. Judging from Kobe's quotes, could it actually possibly he is worrying about what others will say?
I always have thought, looking at such a big star James is, that he wouldn't even care. He knows he is probably the best player on this planet at this moment in time. However, those quotes by Bryant does show something.
What do you think? Could it possibly be that James is worrying of what others are saying? Could this be one of the main reasons for his struggles?
Clearly, he could learn a thing or two from Bryant then. If that's really what's going on in his head, he should turn his mindset into Bryant's. Why should LeBron care?
If James could finally learn something like this and not go under the pressure, maybe someday he can finally get to see that day where he hoists that Larry O'Brien trophy.
Josh Dhani is the founder of FootBasket. He also contributes at Hoops Authority and Eight Points Nine Seconds. You can read more about him at his website. Follow him on Twitter @joshdhani.
