**FOREWORD**
IN FEBRUARY OF 2008, MY LIFE CHANGED. It was a pivotal moment in my career as a basketball player, but also in my life away from the sport. My path aligned with one of the greatest players to have ever played the game I love. Just a few hours after being told that I’d been traded from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Los Angeles Lakers, I was on a cross-country flight to L.A., as opposite a city as you can find. The next morning, I had to go through a mandatory physical in order to finalize my trade. The Lakers were on the road and I couldn’t wait to join my new teammates, so as soon as my physical was over I got on another plane to Washington.
He unquestionably worked harder than anyone else I have ever played with. Kobe knew that to be the best you need a different approach from everyone else. I remember a time when we got together as a team to have our annual dinner right before the playoffs. I was sitting next to him, and as we were getting ready to leave, he told me he was going to the gym to get a workout in. As much as I was very aware of the amount of extra time he put in outside of our regular work hours, it always shocked me how disciplined he could be even during a relaxed situation. When everyone else was thinking it was time for bed, his mind was telling him it’s time to get ahead of the competition. Over the years, a lot of people have wondered how difficult it must’ve been to play with Kobe. It really wasn’t. All you had to do was understand where he was coming from, what he was about, and how badly he wanted to win. He would challenge players and coaches to match his intensity, his desire, to bring their very best every single day, not just at games, but at practices, too.
Kobe wanted to find out what you were made of, and if he could count on you to help him win, plain and simple. I will always be thankful to him. He brought the best out of me as a basketball player, and he made me a stronger person, too. Our time was truly invaluable. I’m the oldest sibling in my family and I always try to be an example for my two younger brothers, challenge them when I think they need to be and praise them when they deserve it. Kobe is the closest thing to an older brother for me. He never hesitated to tell me things as they were, never sugarcoated anything for me, and challenged me along the way so I could give my best at all times. Through the best moments, but especially during the harder ones, our bond only got stronger and we have always had each other’s backs, just as brothers would. Enjoy this magnificent book, which reflects some of what I’ve shared here with you, the qualities of an extraordinary person. I have no doubt that you will be inspired.
It will certainly offer a deeper understanding of the detailed and dedicated way Kobe Bryant approached the game. It’s one thing to have talent, but another to have the drive to learn the nuances. James Naismith is credited with having said “basketball is an easy game to play, but a difficult game to master.” This is a window into the mind of someone who mastered it. The combination of Andy Bernstein’s exceptional photography and Kobe’s insights might make you a better player if you’re inclined. Kobe came into the NBA with a desire and talent to become one of the greatest players of all time. He achieved that goal through his dedication and perseverance. The opportunity to play for the Lakers, a historic franchise, gave him an audience and a forum, but his level of success came entirely from within. Kobe and I first met in 1999 at the Beverly Hills Hilton, on the day I was formally announced as the Lakers’ coach.
Kobe actually broke a bone in his wrist the very first game of preseason that year, and missed the first 14 games. We had gotten off to a good start without him, and I was concerned he might require some “break-in” time to fit into the mix. It wasn’t a problem. He kept the team winning as his first priority and we kept rolling. A month or so after he returned to active play, I received a call from Jerry West, who wanted to relay a conversation he’d had with Kobe. Kobe had called to ask him how he and Elgin Baylor had both been able to score 30-plus points a game while sharing the ball on the same team back in the 1960s. After Jerry probed a bit, Kobe admitted he was worried he wasn’t going to score enough points to become “one of the greatest players in the NBA.” This concerned me, because as a coach I didn’t care how many points.