“Nobody liked Kobe Bryant” – Lakers superstar and ‘Mamba Mentality’ were LOATHED by NBA superstars and teammates, claimed Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas: The Unpopular Mamba Mentality - Kobe Bryant's Leadership Style Examined in NBA Circles, with Comparisons to Michael Jordan.

“Nobody liked Kobe Bryant” – Lakers superstar and ‘Mamba Mentality’ were LOATHED by NBA superstars and teammates, claimed Gilbert Arenas

Kobe Bryant and Gilbert Arenas (Credits: ESPN and ABC News)

Gilbert Arenas is shedding light on the NBA’s hard realities. The late, great Kobe Bryant and his famous catchphrase, “the Mamba Mentality,” have recently been his targets. Arenas claimed that, in the past, everyone in the league hated the Mamba Mentality.

Arenas made an appearance on I Am Athlete and spoke about a variety of topics including “greatness.” It was inevitable that the topic of Bryant came up. He was a legendary five-time champion and Michael Jordan’s true replacement was apparent. While we celebrate Bryant’s life and philosophy, Arenas stated that those who were in the NBA during Bryant’s prime, particularly his teammates, hated his authoritarian attitude.

YouTube video

Arenas stated, “When we’re in sports and we’re on teams, our natural instinct is to fit in, to be liked, Greatness doesn’t want to be liked. Nobody liked Kobe Bryant. Like it’s funny when everybody had a Mamba Mentality. Everybody hated the Mamba Mentality. Y’all hated that he thought selfish like that. Now it’s okay.”

FS Video

Arenas cited the infamous account by Nick Young in which he said that Bryant had instructed them to remove their Kobe shoes following a dismal performance. Young found Bryant’s abrupt demands to be unbelievable. He and the other Lakers were forced to follow them, nevertheless.

Also Read: “They not f**king with you” – Gregg Popovich and Spurs cut players if they are ‘TOO COOL’, claims 3-time NBA champion

The Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan Connection: A shared philosophy of winning and leadership

This may be one of the explanations for why Kobe bryant is frequently cited alongside Michael Jordan. Bryant didn’t simply copy Jordan’s techniques. He was also completely fixated on winning and would do everything to achieve his goals. Bryant understood that he had to press certain buttons and cross some lines because basketball is a team sport.

Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan
Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan (Bleacher Report)

In the sports documentary “The Last Dance,” Jordan gave a clear explanation of why he had to be tough on his colleagues. In contrast to Arenas’ interpretation, it wasn’t a selfish act. Jordan claimed that he pushed his colleagues to the limit in order for them to share in the success. He desired for them to share in greatness. The same ideas were also held by Bryant, who regarded Jordan as his older brother.

In Case You Missed: