In short
Kobe Bryant reflects on discipline and obsession through career highlights, training methods, competitiveness, and personal challenges; he also discusses community giving via his foundation, homelessness, and his 2008 Beijing Olympics experience.
Guests
The episode features Kobe Bryant (late NBA Hall of Famer) in a 2012 conversation. No other guest is interviewed in the provided transcript excerpt.
Guest background
Kobe Bryant, NBA star and Hall of Famer; discusses his foundation work, Olympic participation, and his relationships with Shaquille O’Neal and coach Phil Jackson/Tex Winter.
Key claims
Homelessness causes a “loss of hope,” and his foundation aims to restore hope and provide tools for a better future. Kobe says he “never stopped” playing basketball from age two and that he evolved workouts as he aged (cross training; reduced shooting volume). He argues criticism about selfish play was really about learning when to attack vs. involve teammates. He says the dismissed sexual assault case forced “soul searching” and taught him to “let go” and trust the process.
Notable examples
63 points at age eight; 81-point game (pepperoni pizza; grandfather’s birthday); 2008 Olympics “Hogwarts” village; 2010 Celtics Game 2 emotional drive; Game 7 vs. Celtics (down 3-2, down 15 in fourth). Foundation examples include Skid Row proximity and “My Friend’s Place” as a safe haven with showers, meals, and counseling.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOKobe's Memorable Moments
1:10 to 1:56
Reflect on Kobe's career highlights and significant relationships.
“We're looking back at our 2012 conversation with the Hall of Famer as he reflects on some of the most memorable moments of his career.”
Kobe's Community Impact
1:56 to 2:46
Explore how Kobe Bryant gave back to his community through his foundation.
“I wanted to start by talking to you about your foundation.”
Homelessness: A Cause Close to Kobe
2:46 to 3:31
Kobe discusses his passion for addressing homelessness in California.
“How challenging was it for you to kind of identify what you wanted to do charity-wise to affect change?”
Experiencing Poverty Globally
3:31 to 4:51
Kobe shares insights on the loss of hope observed in impoverished communities.
“What have you seen in the places you've been with regards to poverty that really strikes you?”
Creating Safe Havens for Youth
4:51 to 5:55
Kobe describes his project to support homeless youth with a safe space.
“And it's a place where we have counselors that can counsel them with whatever issues they may be facing.”
The Olympic Experience
5:55 to 7:27
Kobe reflects on the energy and camaraderie at the Olympics.
“I want to talk to you some about the Olympics.”
Kobe's Dedication to Defense
7:27 to 8:39
Learn about Kobe's focus on defense during his Olympic experience.
“How about your fondest Olympic memory to date?”
Expectations for the 2012 Games
8:39 to 9:29
Kobe shares the pressure and expectations surrounding the 2012 Olympics.
“Yeah, but I believe that my perimeter defense was the thing that was really going to get us over the top.”
Growing Up with Basketball
9:29 to 10:19
Kobe talks about his childhood and early influences in basketball.
“It just seems like there's so many expectations upon us.”
Cultural Differences in Europe
10:19 to 11:10
Kobe reflects on his experiences living in Europe compared to the U.S.
“and, you know, mothers making lasagna from scratch and everybody kind of knowing everybody.”
Show all 36 chapters
Kobe's Early Determination
12:11 to 13:50
Kobe reflects on his early passion and determination to be an NBA player.
“So can you sing one of the songs that the crowd used to sing for your father?”
Kobe's Early Basketball Dreams
14:00 to 15:40
Learn about Kobe's early experiences with basketball and his passion for the game.
“You know, for a person to really, like taking a wet blanket and just throwing it over a kid's dreams.”
Magic Johnson's Impact
15:40 to 17:40
Explore the emotional impact of Magic Johnson's HIV announcement on Kobe.
“And when Michael came onto the scene, I was already back in Philadelphia.”
Competitive Spirit in Family
17:40 to 20:00
Discover the competitive nature of Kobe's family, especially with his mother.
“You know, my father, he's always taught me the little tricks of the game.”
Sacrifices for Basketball
20:00 to 21:40
Kobe discusses the sacrifices he made for his basketball career.
“the stress levels I put on my body to train and prepare, I can't do the same things now at 33 years old because it would just be counterproductive.”
Evolving Training Regimen
21:40 to 25:00
Learn how Kobe's training methods have evolved over the years.
“That's where the will to get better comes from.”
Attention to Detail in Equipment
25:00 to 27:30
Kobe explains the importance of shoe design and how it affects performance.
“Like, if you put a heavy, like, if you put on just whatever shoe that, you know, weighs 17, 18 ounces, whatever, and then you put on one of my shoes that's 9 ounces, I mean, you can, it's a noticeable difference.”
Athletic Criticism and Growth
28:58 to 29:59
Kobe discusses how he learned to balance aggression with teamwork.
“Our first team wins more times than not.”
Understanding Coaching Dynamics
29:59 to 31:54
Kobe reflects on his coaching under Phil Jackson and Tex Winter.
“that you were at the time confronted by veteran players over what they viewed as kind of selfish play on the basketball court.”
Rebuilding Relationships in Basketball
31:54 to 34:14
Kobe shares insights on repairing relationships with teammates and coaches.
“and when to pick your spots and how to pick them, you know, and how to read the defense to take advantage of certain situations and scenarios and understanding the shot clock and the timing and all this other stuff.”
Alpha Personalities and Conflict
34:14 to 36:38
Kobe discusses the challenges of working with another strong personality.
“He said he was like seeing a therapist to talk about, you know, just how to deal with that sort of team dynamic.”
Early Career Highlights
36:38 to 38:05
Kobe recalls scoring 63 points at age eight and his early game strategies.
“Yeah, how does a conversation like that, I mean, do you talk to somebody like him the same way you would any other team leader?”
The 81-Point Game
38:05 to 39:00
Kobe shares the significance of his 81-point game and family connections.
“The 81-point game in the NBA, 81 points in a single game, what sticks out for you from that game?”
Being in the Zone
39:00 to 40:43
Kobe describes what it feels like to be in the zone during a game.
“My grandmother has always been there for me.”
The All-Star Game Experience
40:43 to 42:00
Kobe reflects on his experience during an intense All-Star weekend.
“I mean, when you're in the zone like that relative to an average game?”
All-Star Weekend Anecdotes
42:00 to 43:30
Kobe shares his experience during a hectic All-Star weekend and lessons learned.
“because during that All-Star weekend, they had me doing so much.”
Overcoming Self-Doubt
43:30 to 45:10
Kobe discusses his struggles with self-doubt and the pressure of winning championships.
“Play your game and everybody will adjust to that.”
Reflecting on Key Victories
45:10 to 47:20
Kobe reflects on his most satisfying victory, emphasizing the challenges faced.
“I remember when we, in 2010, when we played the Celtics, we lost game two.”
Navigating Adversity
47:20 to 48:50
Kobe talks about personal adversity and its impact on his growth as an individual.
“I'm a teenager, and I'm just kind of here for the ride.”
Lessons from Crisis
48:50 to 51:20
Kobe shares insights on maturity and trust learned from his legal challenges.
“And you're just kind of trying to figure your way through all of this mess.”
The Joy of Playing
51:20 to 53:10
Kobe discusses his motivation for playing basketball and managing expectations.
“when you're not worrying about the next moment.”
Reflections on Career and Retirement
54:00 to 56:00
Kobe reflects on his career, future plans, and the challenges of retiring.
“and you just look like a guy that's just constantly going.”
Kobe's Motivation and Career Reflection
56:00 to 56:55
Kobe discusses his motivations for playing basketball and desires for his legacy.
“I mean, after, when you're finished playing?”
Creating the Perfect Shoe with Nike
56:55 to 58:49
Kobe details his collaboration with Nike to design shoes tailored for performance.
“So everything right now is kind of a moving target.”
First Experiences of Independence
58:49 to 1:00:36
Kobe shares his thoughts on moving out for the first time and the challenges of adulthood.
“So you have options of different inserts that you can put in.”
Kobe's Post-Basketball Plans and Inspirations
1:00:36 to 1:01:56
Kobe talks about his future plans after basketball and sources of inspiration.
“What are your plans after you leave the game of basketball?”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00If we knew more about our sleep, what would we do differently? Would we go to bed at a consistent time? Or take steps to reduce interruptions to our sleep? With Sleep Score, Apple Watch measures your bedtime consistency, interruptions, and sleep duration. Then, every morning it combines these factors into an easy-to-understand score from 1 to 100. So you'll know how to take the quality of your sleep from OK to Very High. Know your Sleep Score with Apple Watch. iPhone 11 or later required.
0:33This summer, serve up the cookout classics, Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs and Heinz Mustard. Grill up a dog, add classic yellow mustard, or load it Chicago style. We all know it's not a cookout without Oscar Mayer and Heinz. This week on the In-Depth Podcast, the late Kobe Bryant. Took a look around you, look at all these players here. You know, everybody wants to be in the NBA. I said, well, I'm going to be there. Since his tragic passing in 2020, Kobe's legacy continues to live on through the impact he had on the game of basketball and the generation of athletes he inspired. We're looking back at our 2012 conversation with the Hall of Famer as he reflects on some of the most memorable moments of his career.
1:18I mean, just the fact that I scored 63 points, I mean, my teammates were all just going crazy about it after the game. His relationship with Shaquille O 'Neal. I heard him say a few times that, you know, Kobe's not going to be as successful without me, you know, this, that, and the other, and that kind of became the chatter. And the long-term impact of criminal charges, even though dismissed, that could have derailed his career. It was extremely difficult, and you kind of had to do some soul searching because you're fighting numerous battles at the same time. But we began our chat discussing all the ways Bryant gave back to his community through his foundation.
1:56I wanted to start by talking to you about your foundation. How did the idea for it even come about in the first place? Well, you know, it's important to try to do something to help out in whatever way you can and whatever cause you choose to support. For me it was just about research and what cause I can kind of wrap my arms around and actually affect change. So I did some research and the cause of homelessness was something that kind of jumped out. because it's been around us. It's around everybody, I think. It's kind of become what I like to put, you know, white noise, so to speak. It just kind of blends in with everything else that we have going on instead of addressing the issue, and it's such a prominent issue, particularly in California.
2:39So that became the issue that I became passionate about and still learning a great deal about, but it's something that I can wrap my arms around and help out. How challenging was it for you to kind of identify what you wanted to do charity-wise to affect change? Because homelessness is your cause. There's obviously so much out there. So, you know, it's extremely, extremely difficult. And even now, even though homelessness is my center focus, there's a myriad of other things that I do and try to help out wherever I can. You know, homelessness is just the cause that we chose to really lock in on because it is such a prominent issue.
3:21I mean, after I finished the game, leaving from Staples Center, I mean, Skid Row is two blocks up the street. You know, and so this is something that I believe we can help. And also, I mean, if you think about it, you know, you and I, we both, you know, our plans for the future were pretty much mapped out in the sense that we knew, you know, you go to high school, you go to college if you choose to, you get a job, you know, so everything was kind of lined up for us and we knew exactly you know if we do a b and c we'll achieve a b and c and for most of these kids that you meet that are homeless they don't have that option never had that option they only have a roof over their head so it's about kind of arming them with the tools necessary to have a better future and it starts with having a roof over there you mentioned skid row it you've seen skid row before uh we were talking before the interview how you travel globally.
4:15What have you seen in the places you've been with regards to poverty that really strikes you? It's a loss of hope. I think that's the thing that's been prominent no matter what country or city you go to. When you see people who are living in these impoverished neighborhoods, it's just a loss of hope. It's kind of a sense of, yeah, I had these dreams. I had these goals and aspirations but they're long gone and you know they could be 15 years old and and you want to do whatever you can to try to instill that hope back into them to show them that there are other people out here who believe in your dreams believe in your goals and we're going to help you to achieve those tell about my friends place yeah well my friends place is a long time coming too yeah it's been a long time coming we've been extremely excited about the project and giving kids a place to go, kind of a safe haven for them where they can come and just do things that we take for granted, like take a shower, have clean towels, use soap to get a fresh meal, a warm meal.
5:25And it's a place where we have counselors that can counsel them with whatever issues they may be facing. We've kind of been refurbishing the place, and it feels good now that it's all done. Is there something kind of you're most excited about? Well, yeah, I think just seeing the expression on kids' faces, now that they have a place to kind of go and to kick back and to relax and to kind of feel at home, I think that's the most thrilling part. I want to talk to you some about the Olympics. Olympic Village, Beijing, the 2008 Games. You said you felt like Harry Potter goes to Hogwarts. How so? I'm surrounded by a bunch of wizards.
6:12You know what I mean? The Olympics is the spot to be if you love sports, if you're an athlete that's passionate about what you do. The Olympics is the spot to be in. You're surrounded by athletes who are the best in the world at what they do. and it was just a huge honor for me to be around that and to kind of vibe off of that energy and to be able to interact with them. And what was the energy? It's such a great determination in the room because everybody wants that gold medal. Everybody's fighting for their country. The cafeteria is kind of like the best place to be in because you go into the cafeteria, it's just this massive hall.
6:55They have all kinds of foods all over the place from all kinds of places in the world. And you just see everybody kind of sitting together You know, there's Argentina, there's Italy, there's Spain, there's France, there's, you know, everybody's kind of hanging around, conversing and talking about, you know, oh, well, tomorrow I have this event and then I did this, that, and the other and I train like this and, you know, this is what I'm doing to get prepared for tomorrow's event. And so there's this constant conversations and constant learning from one another that, you know, you can't get anyplace else.
7:27How about your fondest Olympic memory to date? You know, I think interacting with all these athletes. I mean, I think that was the most special thing. Yeah, I mean, it's fun for me. I love learning about what they do to prepare. I love learning about their stories and how they got to be in this place. And I think it's extremely inspiring. I was talking to Duke University basketball coach, Coach K, who's also the head coach, obviously, the U.S. national team, about you the other day. And he said what really impressed him, dating back to, you know, the 2008 Olympics, aside from the fact that, you know, before the first practice was set to take place, you came two days early.
8:12But other than the shooting drills, you never even took a shot in the first practice, he said. Why not? You know, it just kind of worked out that way. I mean, I wasn't really pressing the issue. I was really focused on the defensive end of the floor. You know, on that particular team, we had... You wanted to guard the best perimeter player? Yeah, I mean, we had our scores. You know, we had guys who could score the ball. Me, obviously, I could score the ball in bunches. But I felt like... Right, you're coming in as the NBA scoring leader. Yeah, but I believe that my perimeter defense was the thing that was really going to get us over the top.
8:44I love to defend just as much as I love to score, so that was my responsibility. What do you most respect about him? Well, I think his ability to communicate. and also his versatility in communication. I mean, for a lot of coaches, it's very difficult to coach college at the collegiate level for years and years and years, and now you have to come and deal with professional players who play basketball for a living and have these huge egos and this, that, and the other. For him to be able to change his mode of communication and go back and forth is very impressive. How about your expectations for the 2012 games in London?
9:23If we don't win the gold medal, it's going to be very difficult for us to come back to this country. Yeah. It just seems like there's so many expectations upon us. What would it be like for you? Well, to win the gold medal? Yeah, to come back without winning the gold medal. You know, it's funny. To be honest, I don't even think about it, you know, almost as if it's not an option. I mean, you know it is an option, but you don't think about it. You don't let that enter into your mind. You just go out there and play for that gold. I want to take you back to when you were growing up. Your father, Joe, played eight years in the NBA for a few teams, then eight years internationally in Italy and other parts of Europe.
10:03While he was playing internationally, he brought you, your mom, your two sisters along. How about the biggest difference you noticed between the States and Europe, just in terms of lifestyle? You know, we didn't live in any major cities, so I think we got the authenticity of Italy and, you know, mothers making lasagna from scratch and everybody kind of knowing everybody. And, you know, it was almost as if we lived in a typical Italian movie. And, you know, I remember one time my sister just had a brand new mountain bike. She's got a brand new bright orange mountain bike, so you're not missing this thing.
10:42You know what I mean? Big deal, too. Yeah, I mean, it's a big deal. I mean, back then, mountain bikes, you know, you had the gear shift. I mean, it's a big deal. So we all rode our mountain bikes, and we went to a store, and her friends just happened to be there. She just met with her friends, started talking to them, and forgot she had a mountain bike. So she took off with them and got home, and I forgot my mountain bike. It was already too late. It was nighttime. We were going to sleep. Come back the next day, the mountain bike's still sitting there. Oh, that's great. Wasn't chained up or anything.
11:13Just leaned up against the wall, just sitting there. You don't wash your jersey during a win streak. You don't switch seats when your team's up big. And you definitely don't shave during the playoffs. When things are working, you don't change them. That's why when you drink Jägermeister, you drink it ice cold. Anything else? Well, that'd just be bad luck. Drink it cold or don't drink it at all. Jägermeister. Damn, that's cold. Drink responsibly. Jägermeister liqueur, 35 % alcohol by volume. Imported by Mass Jägermeister, U.S. White Plains, New York. You thought this was your run club era. Turns out, it was more of a thinking about run club era.
11:51The good news? Someone's marathon training is about to start. Sell your workout gear on Depop. Just snap a few photos and we'll take care of the rest. They get their race day fit and you get a payout for trying. Someone on Depop wants what you've got. Start selling now. Deep Hop, where taste recognizes taste. So can you sing one of the songs that the crowd used to sing for your father? Oh, man, they had a lot of them. They had a lot of them. Most of them I can't repeat because the fans are extremely passionate. So things that they can kind of get away with saying in the crowd, the NBA won't fly as much.
12:35You were pretty much certain from an early age as a kid that you were going to be an NBA player. Why did you feel so strongly about that? Yeah, I'm not sure. It didn't even seem like as much that's what you wanted to do, as much that's what you knew you were going to do. Well, I felt like I was born to play basketball. I mean, I started playing at the age of two, and I love it. So, you know, when you kind of find that passion at an early age, I mean, that's really the goal, is to kind of find whatever you're passionate about at an early age and just kind of grow into it. But I just love to play the game, and I never, ever stopped.
13:16I just played all day, every day, so it just seemed like a natural progression to play in the NBA. Tell why you were scolded at a summer camp once for what you put on your application for what your job was going to be. Well, I wanted to be an NBA player, and the counselor came to me and said, well, you have to pick something a little more realistic. I said, hmm. That angers you. It's realistic to me. This is what I want to do. You know what I mean? And he was like, no, only one in whatever million, you know, players. Right. Make it to the NBA. Took a look around you. Look at all these players here.
13:52You know, everybody wants to be in the NBA. I said, well, I'm going to be there, you know. And it was just such a – and as I grew older, I was like, man, you know what? If I wasn't such a stubborn kid, that really would have crushed me. Right. You know, for a person to really, like taking a wet blanket and just throwing it over a kid's dreams. I mean, it's just, it didn't make any sense to me. When you were 11, did a team really try and buy you from your parents? Yeah, yeah, yeah. What happened? Well, that's just the system, how it, you know, that's how it is in Europe, as it is with soccer. I mean, if you start playing at an early age, you play at the club level because they don't have school teams like we do here in the States.
14:35And if professional teams notice you, you know, they want to purchase you. And then you grow up in their club system and then you eventually play on their elite professional level team. And so parents... My parents obviously said no. Because you were in Europe, you weren't able to, I guess, watch the NBA games live. so you had them sent over on videotape. How often would you watch those videotapes? Every chance I got. I mean, my grandfather was, he used to record games and then he used to send them out to us. So I would watch them and, you know, that's kind of where I became, you know, a basketball geek, so to speak, because I got a chance to watch all the players.
15:15And then you'd go out in the backyard? Oh, yeah, I'd go out in the backyard and try to mimic everything, you know, let alone, you know, I'd try to dunk, but I couldn't reach the basket, but still, you know, in my mind, I was dunking. Explain why you had no idea who Michael Jordan was at that time. Well, basketball wasn't as global then as it is now. So really the only two teams who got recognition were the Lakers and the Celtics because of their obvious rivalry and the two players that they had. And when Michael came onto the scene, I was already back in Philadelphia. So I really didn't hear about him until I was about 13, 14 years old.
15:48And your guy was magic. Well, yeah, I was a Laker, big, big Laker fan. Yeah, you know, Magic, Byron Scott, James Worthy, you know, the whole crew. Describe your reaction when you learned Magic had HIV. I was devastated. I didn't know, I didn't understand what it was. I just knew it was going to stop him from doing what he loved to do. So I was devastated, and I had no idea what was going on. So it was a tough day. And, I mean, your parents said you were missing meals for a week. Yeah, yeah. It was almost as if he was part of your family because of how much you idolized him. So how emotional was that for you?
16:29It was extremely difficult. I mean, it's like you have your hero and a person that you look up to, and all of a sudden he's not there anymore. You can't watch him perform anymore. It's tough. Tell about when you were 14 and tried to dunk on your mom. Well, I mean, she fouled me. I mean, that's what happened. She laid into you pretty good. I get my competitiveness with my mother. That's for sure. How so? She's the competitive one. My father is competitive, but he's kind of, you know. And that's amazing because your father was a professional athlete. Yeah, but, you know, he's kind of like, you know, he's very happy, you know, go-lucky guy who has a mean streak in him.
17:11But, you know, he's like, you know, he's such an extrovert, you know. My mom's the real firecracker. How well do you recall the first time you beat your father in basketball? Yeah, I remember it was a war. I remember that. And, you know, after I beat him, I remember he never played me again. Ever? That was it. That was it. He didn't want me to kind of get him back for all the years where he was kicking my butt in the backyard. You ever ask him to play again? Oh, sure. All the time. All the time. What does he say? No. How physical was that last game? It was extremely physical. You know, my father, he's always taught me the little tricks of the game.
17:50Like what? You know what I mean? Like how to get away with a foul here, you know, how to get a little extra step here, a little nudge here. So, but the only way, you know, the way to really show me was to do it to me. So I had a lot of, I had a lot of bruises, man, a couple bloody lips. Really? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. One of your high school friends said when I was partying, he was playing basketball. when I was waking up. Kobe was playing basketball before class. How would you describe your dedication to the sport even back then? Well, I tried to find a balance, right? I tried to do both. You know, I had a great deal of energy.
18:28So if there was a school party going on or something like that, I mean, I'd play basketball for a few hours. I'd do what I have to do and have fun doing it, and then I'd go to the party. And I'd show up, and I'd have a good time, have fun, and I'll be up at 5 o 'clock in the morning working out and training the next day. So I try to do both. Whether it be then or now, to what extent have you found yourself over the years having to forego hobbies, forego even in some instances close friendships to focus on basketball? Yeah, well, there's obviously a great amount of sacrifice because it is time-consuming and you do have to really focus on your craft a great deal.
19:12Do you realize it when you're going through it or because you're so focused on what you want to do you're just kind of oblivious to something? It was probably different for me the most because it was what I truly wanted to do. It's what I enjoyed doing so it wasn't like I was I didn't feel like I was giving something up. I felt like I was gaining something because I enjoyed I enjoyed playing. Coach K says you've really changed your workouts over the years. As you've aged, you've changed the regimen. You've been innovative in many respects. In what ways? Well, you have to evolve. So like the things I was doing when I was 19 years old to prepare and to train in terms of the explosiveness, the impact that I would put on my body, the stress levels I put on my body to train and prepare, I can't do the same things now at 33 years old because it would just be counterproductive.
20:09So you kind of have to evolve and do some cross training. And how much of a difference do you notice between what you were able to do then and what you're able to do now? Well, I mean, you know, I could. Is it glaring? When it becomes glaring is when you have practice in the morning. It's like a 10 a.m. practice, and you show up to practice, and you kind of look up at the basket, and you're going, yeah, I probably couldn't dunk right now. Yeah, yeah, because your body's just kind of tight and kind of hurting and stuff. You're 19, you go up and you're just like, oh, that basket looks like it's about this high.
20:37You just wake up out of the bed and you start doing 360s and windmilling and stuff. Yeah, not doing that anymore. What's the average workout schedule like, whether you're in season or out of season? In season, we practice about three hours a day as a team. And then I do about my hour and a half of weights and extra work. In the off season, right now I'm going about two hours a day. And then it kind of picks up progressively as the summer goes on. I start adding more features. How many shots do you think you take over the course of the summer?
21:13Let's see. Last summer I probably was taking between 600 and 800 makes a day. In the past it was between 1 ,000 to about 1 ,500 makes a day. And why the decline? Because of my body. Because of your body. You just can't take that much of a workload. You've got to try to balance it out. How would you explain that mindset of just trying to continuously improve? Like I said, I enjoy what I do. You know, this is fun for me. You know, I truly love what I do, and that's where the passion comes from. That's where the will to get better comes from. It's just because I truly enjoy it. I enjoy the preparation.
21:50As a kid, explain why you would study bubblegum basketball cards. Well, because, you know, you could kind of see the little intricacies of each move. and is his toe pointing a little this way? Is it this way when he's pivoting? It's just little things like that. Body positioning, defensive stance, where the weight is on a defensive player, where the player's head is when he's shooting a basketball. You can kind of see all those little details. And why were you looking for that? Because I was a nerd. Your high school coach, Greg Donner, says that you might actually be a little embarrassed by how much you love basketball.
22:32Yeah. Is that true? Probably, yeah. Why? Well, I mean, it's like anything. I just so happen to be playing basketball. Like, if I was a computer kid in high school, people would have probably been in front of me. You know what I mean? I just so happen to be basketball, what I'm passionate about. My passion knows no bounds. But it embarrasses you? Well, I mean, it's just a little weird, a little strange. I mean, when you're around, like, in the Olympics, I'm around other athletes who kind of share that same, And that same mindset. It's fun to be around him because we can have conversations about those things.
23:04Robert Ori says he's never seen somebody who can see a move another guy does and pick it up as quickly as you. Explain what you'll do. Well, I know exactly what he's referring to. I mean, I watch, we played against the Houston Rockets, and I'm still a young kid. I mean, he's 18, 19 years old. and I'm watching Akeem Olajuwon up close and he's doing his dream shake and I'm just kind of watching and I ask Robert, hey Robert how did Akeem used to practice that move? Because they played together and won a couple championships together so Robert kind of went through how he watched Akeem practice and stuff like that and then the next practice I go right to the post and I start doing a dream shake and mimicking that exact move.
23:51Why do you think you were able to pick it up so quickly? Because I've been playing since I was two. So, like, you know, every move I've tried. But, I mean, there are plenty of basketball players who've been playing a long time. Yeah, not since two, though. Now for as long as I have. You know, just by osmosis, you pick up so many things, and your muscle memory is that you can watch something and just go out right away and do it. Explain why you had Nike shave a couple millimeters off the bottom of your shoe. Every detail counts, you know, At least for me it does. And if you can make a shoe as light as possible without compromising fit, stability, and things of that nature, then it gives you an advantage.
24:32It gives you a clear advantage. It shaves seconds off of your ability to change directions, your ability to elevate, and things of that nature. I mean, every little bit counts. And are you able to feel that? I definitely can feel it. If the shoe's lighter, like for example, what we've been able to do with our shoes, and go into a low-cut shoe, we're able to shave so much weight off the shoe and still keep its comfort that you can noticeably... And a difference, I mean, that minimal? Yeah, I mean, in the weight of the shoe, absolutely. Like, if you put a heavy, like, if you put on just whatever shoe that, you know, weighs 17, 18 ounces, whatever, and then you put on one of my shoes that's 9 ounces, I mean, you can, it's a noticeable difference.
25:12And why ask for the shoe and sock change? Yeah, because a little, you know, what you get is you get a, I'm getting a little techy, but whatever. You get some tactile stimulation on the ankle, which kind of gives your ankle a sense of where it is in space. So that, you know, sometimes you jump up for a rebound, you come down awkwardly, and you roll your ankle. And you have a little tactile stimulation. It kind of gives your ankle more of a sense of where it is, which hopefully minimizes the opportunity of you having a really, really bad sprained ankle. And it's also, I mean, you didn't like the fact that your foot would slide slightly in the shoe?
25:50Oh, yeah. Inside the shoe itself. I thought you meant the wrap around the shoe. Yeah. Inside the shoe itself, I wanted a shoe that kind of conforms to your foot. We're talking about cutting off like a hundredth of a second. Yeah. Well, you know, how many times have you been playing basketball where, you know, your foot is like literally sliding inside a shoe? Never, but. I'll take your word. I have. Then again, you know, I'm getting technical. But your foot just constantly slide inside the shoe. Like if you notice, if you put on a sock and you go in and you play, when you finish playing, you take the shoe off, and all of a sudden the sock is a little rotated, that shows you how much you've been sliding inside the footbed of the shoe.
26:26So I wanted something that would kind of more fit like a glove so that your shoe and your foot are actually moving in the same motion. I think that's really what a shoe should do. Coach K says you are as competitive as any athlete, period, in the world. How would you describe your level of competitiveness? I'm not competitive in everything. Okay, and you say that, and I found that funny because I'm reading an article about you the other day, and you're talking about how at the time you and your wife were reading the Harry Potter series, and you were speeding through it simply because you wanted to finish the set of books before her.
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27:07So you say that, but... No, it depends what it is. Like, if I'm... If you're a better ping pong player than I am, you know, I'm just not going to play you. I'm not really tripping off of it. And would you make a conscious decision not to play? Yeah, I'm not... No, I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to set myself up to fail. I'm not going to, you know... Nor am I going to go practice ping pong, you know, to beat you. I'm just not going to... I'm not even going to do it. Yeah. But if I'm good at it, you know, and we go head up then. What about if somebody, because teammates have told this story, if somebody beats you in practice or, you know, on one-on-one, or, you know, or in one-on-one, I mean, what's the likelihood you would allow them to reasonably, like, decline a rematch?
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28:37I guess they don't respect winning. Bet365 does, though. New customers get$150 in bonus bets just for betting$10. Namaste, losers. Bet365. Winning is everything. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 201 plus only. Must be physically located in Illinois. TNC's apply. In-app only. Well, no, I mean, it's, you know, we play scrimmages and we play 5-on-5. and practice stuff like that. Our first team wins more times than not. But when we lose, the second team is constantly talking trash. And the next day, we've got to come back and give it to them. Will you keep people on court, though, if they don't want to?
29:19No, not really. Not really. I'll take my butt whooping like a man. I'll take my butt whooping like a man. And then come back the next time and try to return the favor. Yeah. Yeah. You know, so like any professional athlete, I mean, everybody is criticized. And I think the more successful the athlete you are, the more criticism you receive. And you obviously are the elite of the elite when it comes to athletic figures. So I guess I was interested in touching on a couple of the criticisms you've received over your career. You admitted, or you said early on in an article, I read this is back from your really young days in the league, that you were at the time confronted by veteran players over what they viewed as kind of selfish play on the basketball court.
30:08How much truth do you think there was to that then? I think it probably was some to the extent of when I would decide to be aggressive. when it was time to kind of more utilize my teammates because I was full throttle all the time. And so they would view that as selfishness, but the reality was just decision making of when to attack, when to pull back, when to trust your teammates, when to get this guy going, when to get that guy going, and then when to hit the throttle and attack. So I had to kind of figure out the balance of the game and then when to go and when not to go. because at 19, 20 years old, man, I was full throttle.
30:51What was that like for you, figuring out the balance of the game? It was fun. I mean, it was a great challenge. I think I was very fortunate to have to try to figure that out because most of my peers never learned that because they didn't have to. They were on a team that was happy to make the playoffs, and that wasn't the situation I was in. They needed me to win a championship, and to do that, that they needed me to figure out that balance and figure it out ASAP. And I think because of that, it made me a much better player. What about figuring it out do you think made you a better player? I had great coaching, Phil Jackson and Tex Winter, Tex Winter who I call Master Yoda.
31:29And you called him even before Phil Jackson even came to coach you. Yeah, because I recognized his intelligence level, his genius. I wanted to learn from him and it just so happened he came and coached this the following year. And I had a chance to kind of really pick his brain and understand the game. And I think just my basketball IQ went to another level because of it. And what was it you're trying to learn? The momentums of the game and when to use your teammates and when to pick your spots and how to pick them, you know, and how to read the defense to take advantage of certain situations and scenarios and understanding the shot clock and the timing and all this other stuff.
32:06And I couldn't figure it out on my own. I mean, I was very, very, very fortunate to have Phil in text. Phil Jackson, I had a chance to read through his memoir, and obviously that was written the last season. That was written preceding him returning to the Lakers. But, I mean, at one point he apparently says to the then Lakers GM, look, if Kobe's back next year, I'm not coming back. Obviously the relationship's since been repaired, but when it was kind of fractured the most, what were the factors you think were responsible for that? I think the most challenging things for him in dealing with our group, he had a couple, and one of them being the dynamic between myself and Shaquille and him having to deal with that relationship and kind of keeping me at arm's distance so that in turn it could bring him closer to Shaq.
33:08And then the other thing, he was dealing with a young horse, racehorse, that wanted to get to an elite level as an individual player and establish himself in the league. So he had to deal with that balancing act. And we both were extremely stubborn, all three of us. Phil's extremely stubborn, so is Shaq, so am I. So it was very, very difficult for him to find that balance. and I think he became frustrated because he couldn't figure out a way to really reach me. Why do you think that was? Well, because I told him, I said, Phil, if you want me to do something, just tell me. You don't have to go around the corner, drive around the block, and then kind of circle back around to your point and then kind of slide it in.
33:52Just tell me. Just tell me what it is you want me to do. And he kind of, I think that was a little different for him. He's not a guy that really likes confrontation. and kind of like subtly slipping messages in there where for me it's just like, just tell me what it is you want. Don't insult my intelligence by trying to backdoor in there. I'm starting to smile because I was shocked in his book. He said he was like seeing a therapist to talk about, you know, just how to deal with that sort of team dynamic. I mean, I was just like, just tell me. How do you go about rebuilding a relationship like that, especially one that then goes on to have that much more success?
34:32Well, you don't carry baggage with you. You have to drop it and let it go and move on. And once you decide to come back and you call me and we spoke, we didn't have to address any of the issues. We're both of the same belief that you move on from the past. And once you make the decision to move forward, that's exactly what you're doing is moving forward and not addressing the past. You mentioned Shaq. You guys obviously had a very, very successful working relationship. I mean, three consecutive titles, you know, what more could you ask for? But, I mean, nobody makes any secrets. There just wasn't the close relationship there that you might like with teammates.
35:14Why do you think you were unable to maintain that same working relationship for longer? This just wasn't going to happen. It's just not in the cards. I mean, there's things that I wanted to do with my career and take my career to another level that I was just incapable of doing as long as we were playing together, which I was fine with doing until I heard him say a few times that, you know, Kobe's not going to be as successful without me and this, that, and the other, and that kind of became the chatter. So now once that became the chatter, it's like, oh, wait, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. No, no, no, no, no.
35:49I can do this. Especially for a guy who's hyper competitive. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It just wasn't going to work. So no matter what happened, even if we had won that championship, just me being a free agent, there was just no way. I had to accept this challenge and had to see what I could do. And you said in some ways part of the friction came from you both being very similar type of people. Yeah. In what ways? Well, we're both alpha males, man. We both don't mess around. We don't be around the bush, you know. And one of the big problems that he had with me is that I'm extremely brutally honest with my guys.
36:24And it's just, if a player's not working as hard as he should, I'm going to tell him. And that includes somebody who's 7 '3", 400 pounds. How does a conversation like that go over? Probably not the smartest thing in the world to do, but it is what it is. Right. Yeah, how does a conversation like that, I mean, do you talk to somebody like him the same way you would any other team leader? Yeah, I don't want him pulling any punches, man. And I think that's why there's such a great deal of respect still, you know, from him to me and vice versa, is that he knows what I'm about. He knows I'm not going to sugarcoat things, and I'm going to be straight up and honest about him.
37:02Notable moments from your career. Eight years old in the game, how many points did you score? 63. How? Like, technically, I don't. I mean, at eight years old, how do you score? Well, I figured out that most kids that are right-handed can't go left. You know what I mean? So I just sit on their right hand, and I got, like, steal after steal after steal. I mean, that's really how it happened. I just pressured a backcourt, and as soon as a kid started dribbling the ball, I jumped right in his right hand, and then I'd take it from him and lay it up, take it from him, lay it up, take it from him, lay it up.
37:37And it just went on, and there was nothing they could do about it. Do you remember that? Oh, yeah. Oh, you do? Oh, yeah. Did anything that sticks out? No, I mean, just the fact that I scored 63 points. I mean, my teammates were all just going crazy about it after the game. It was fun. Then we had the finals the next night, and I had a 40-point game the next game, doing the same thing. My father always told me, he said, son, you've got to be able to use both hands. You've got to be able to use both hands at an early age, and I could. The 81-point game in the NBA, 81 points in a single game, what sticks out for you from that game?
38:16Probably the fact that I had pepperoni pizza the night before the game. Is that common? No, it's not common at all. I was just kind of craving a pepperoni pizza. Start a trend? No, I hope not. I hope they don't follow that lead. The day that I actually scored 81 was my grandfather's birthday, who had passed away a few years before. And my grandmother, who had never seen me play in the NBA just because her nerves can't take it, she flew out to California and she came to watch me play for the first time and the only time. And that just so happened to be the night I scored 81. What was that like for you with having your grandmother the first and only time sitting in the stands watching?
39:05It was really special for me. My grandmother has always been there for me. Out of the family, we're probably the most similar in personality. So it was really, really special. I mean, she was one of these grandmothers who, you know, I would play like eight games a day in the summertime for different summer leagues and stuff like that. and she'd be like, boy, you need to slow down. You know, you're getting too tired. You're exhausted. You know, it's one of those grandmas who's really caregiving, you know, and just a caretaker. So for her to be there at the Staples Center to watch me play at this ultimate level after seeing me play for so many years, you know, in high school and summer league was special.
39:42So those 81 points in a single game, second, you know, in history only to Wilt Chamberlain, and it should be pointed out, even Michael Jordan only had 69 points in a game, and he needed overtime to get to that point. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 55 points in a game is what he tops out at, and you had that in the second half of that game alone. When you're in the zone like that, how do you know?
40:11Yeah, it's funny. It's a strange feeling because you know you're in the zone, but you can't afford to allow yourself to know you're in the zone because once you do, then you lose it. You know, because being in that moment is all about being in that moment and not letting anything else enter into your mind emotionally or psychologically. You just continue to go and go and go. And, you know, for me as a player, you know, when I get hot, I mean, I get blistering hot. And it's something that I just had to kind of keep going and not take my mind or let my focus shift to something else. What's different about it, though?
40:46I mean, when you're in the zone like that relative to an average game? Oh, it's such a sense of calmness and focus. It's almost a sense of desperation where nothing else matters. Nothing, nothing. Nobody talking to you, not a fan sitting over here. Nothing is relevant. The only thing that's important is the moment that you're in. And it's tough to find that space on a consistent basis, but I think that's what makes sports so compelling. I read somewhere after that game that you said it actually slowed down for you. How so? Well, just because of the fact that I was so hot shooting the ball, now I can pick and choose whatever I did out there on the floor.
41:34It's almost like the defense was at my mercy, and because of that I could anticipate everything that was going on because I was dictating everything that was going on because I was so hot. And so it kind of gives that feeling that everything slows down. The All-Star game that was billed as Kobe versus Michael, basically. How about the part of that game that you really recall, or from that experience in general? I remember being so tired before the game because during that All-Star weekend, they had me doing so much. you know, this event, that event, this interview, that interview, this party, that.
42:11There was so much going on. Your face was plastered everywhere. I was everywhere. I was eight, I was, what, 19, 19, that I literally went to sleep in the middle of the locker room on the floor before the game. Really? I just, I just, I just like this, I just crashed out. I'm probably snoring. I remember Clyde Drexler comes and he taps him in the shoulder. Hey, we're about to go out there in like five minutes. wake up young fella you okay I'm like yeah I'm okay and he said see you're gonna learn your lesson man you can't have them have you running around doing all these things all the time you'll learn what about with MJ I remember I remember him being sick and so I think he was sick during that weekend I think he missed media day because of it and when I checked in the game I'm going I'm I'm guarding him, I'm standing next to him, and he coughs.
43:06And I remember going, oh, man, cough that way. And he just started laughing. He was probably looking at me like, this kid is crazy. Right, right, right. Yeah. How about the best advice you've ever gotten from him? Probably the best advice was to be me, to be me. You know, he's faced a lot of criticism as well throughout his career about him shooting too much and being selfish and this, that, and the other. But he said, don't change who you are. Don't change who you are. Play your game and everybody will adjust to that. But you have to be yourself. And how did that resonate with you? Well, it kind of gave me the feeling that I was on the right track.
43:43You know, because those were my thoughts and my feelings exactly. But, you know, there are times where you kind of second guess yourself. And like, well, maybe I need to change my game. Maybe I need to be more of a pass first type of a player. And, you know, more of a magic type of a player in this than the other. and kind of start kind of thinking through things a little bit. And then for him to say that was like, okay, no, you're doing the right thing. You got it right. Is there a point in your career where you've really had that doubt creep in the most or where you started questioning if maybe you should change how you're doing something?
44:19Yeah, I mean, quite often. I think that's human nature. I mean, as a young player coming up, we just continue to get swept. and we just can't seem to get over the hump. It's like, man, am I costing my team the ability to win a championship? Right. What do I need to do? Against the Celtics in 2008, I was like, man, I'm never going to win another championship. Maybe everybody was right. I can't win without Shaq. It was like this is my one opportunity, and I blew it. And then it's like, well, no, you can't. But maybe you'll go down one day, but today's not going to be that day. And you just got to bounce back and keep it going.
45:00We were taping an episode with Matt Kemp the other day. And, you know, obviously, you know, differing degrees of success, but he's a young guy, and he said what really started enabling him to have success was when he stopped thinking about, you know, when he messed up, when he left that on the field and didn't bring it home with him in the car ride home or when he got to his house. Any of that for you? I mean, it depends on the game. I remember when we, in 2010, when we played the Celtics, we lost game two. and I remember being very upset, very angry, very sad. And I drove around before I came home.
45:52I literally just drove around for like two hours after the game, just trying to calm down and just trying to find that confidence because the Celtics, I mean, they were extremely tough to beat in Boston and Sirius is tied at 1-1 and here we are going to Boston. We might not ever come back to L.A. I remember just driving around for two hours just trying to find something where I can hang my hat on for myself and for my team. And say, no, we're going to do this and this is why we're going to do it. This is how we're going to do it. But, you know, I just drove around, drove around, drove around. Five championships, obviously.
46:25How about the most satisfying victory of your career? Game seven against the Celtics. That was the most satisfying one because that was the hardest one. I mean, we came back to L.A. from that series being down 3-2. against a great, great team, against four Hall of Famers. So that was Game 7 being down 15 points in fourth quarter. That was a tough one. If you could, is there a moment during your career that you would love to go back to just to experience again? I think going back to draft day, going back to draft day, that was, I would love to kind of relive that moment and be 17 years old and going through that process.
47:07What about it? just it being just a new thing for me. I mean, I was 17. Here I am with Allen Iverson and Marcus Camby and Ray Allen and Steve Nash and all these great players. I'm a teenager, and I'm just kind of here for the ride. Would you still have the glasses on your head? I didn't have the glasses on my head. Once I saw how foolish that looked, I took them off. I was like, you know what? You're a teenager, man. What are you going to do? This is what teenagers do in 96. Right. I did an episode with Ray Lewis and ended up getting into talking to him about what happened to him where, you know, here's a guy, everything going in the right direction, ends up being charged with murder.
47:50Charges obviously, you know, later dismissed. But he really credits that part of his life with having gone through that, with really having a positive impact on him moving forward and just having made him a better individual in the long term. It's been nearly a decade now since what you went through in Eagle with sexual assault. Charges, obviously, similar to Lewis, dismissed. To what extent do you think having gone through that had a positive impact on you and really made you better long term? Well, I think it challenges who you are as a person. You know, to have to go through something like that, you know, with not only individually, but as a family.
48:40And then, you know, for the organization, the Lakers organization, my teammates, it was extremely difficult. And you kind of had to do some soul searching because you're fighting numerous battles at the same time. And you're just kind of trying to figure your way through all of this mess. and the only thing that you can do is just put one foot in front of the other and just continue to move forward. And there's nothing else you can do. I mean, there's times where it just seems like days are just endless. Like this is never going to end. This feeling, this dark time is just never going to be over.
49:16And I think once you go through something like that, you can't help but be different. You can't help but have a better sense of who you are. And it's, yeah, I mean, Ray and I have had conversations about that. Really? Yeah, he's a good friend of mine. And we've had those type of conversations of going through things like that. And a lot of times, you know, other players can't relate to that sort of stuff, to that type of pressure. That's real pressure. That's life pressure. It's not hitting a game-winning shot. If you make it, you win. If you miss it, you win. That's not pressure. What did you and Ray speak about when you had this?
49:53Exactly that. exactly that about his time and what he went through and then how he was able to come out of it and how it made him more determined and for me it was much the same. I mean with the court case that was really the first time in your life where you didn't have control over your fate. Right. What was that experience like? Well you have to you have to give it up. You know you have to give it up. You have to release yourself and just kind of let things be. I think that helps your maturity a lot when you try not to control the situation. This is not a basketball game where I have a lot of control on the outcome.
50:35You really just got to let it go. I think to do that you instantly have to mature and to be able to put yourself in that emotional space where you can trust the process. What do you think you learned from the whole experience? I mean, it's a lot that I learned through that experience and a lot of things specifically that I went through doing that process that I wish I could dive into. But it's just, I think as a person, it just really teaches you how to let go and how to trust and not try to control everything. I think that decreases your stress levels tenfold when you're not worrying about the next moment.
51:25You're not worrying about what this person may say. You're not worrying about what this outcome may be. Instead, you just kind of let go. Why do you think you were able to still play basketball so well during that time? Probably because I'm stubborn. Because you're stubborn? That's probably why. Why do you say that? because it was like, you know, on these days, I'm not going to stop playing. I'm not just because you guys think I should stop playing, just because you guys think that I won't perform as well. I'm going to show you. And truthfully, it was stress release for me because I've been playing since I was two.
52:02So basketball has always been my escape. It's always been the place of refuge for me. So, you know, why should I take that away now? If anything, the game is going to keep me sane, keep me stable, and help me to be able to manage these various situations. Five championships, more than a dozen all-star appearances, an MVP. You're at the top statistically in many NBA offensive categories. You've been in the league since you were 17. What motivates you now? Pool days call for cookouts and lots of laundry. This Memorial Day at Lowe's. Save$80 on a Charbroil Performance Series 4-Burner Gas Grill. Now just$199.
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53:43I think it's just the joy of the game of playing. I can't lie, man. It's tough. It's tough because you're trying to constantly find things to kind of push you, things that kind of motivate you to kind of give you that edge. You know, and it's like I watch myself sometimes when I played when I was 21, 22, 23, and it's like, whoa. and you just look like a guy that's just constantly going. It's just your motor is just endless. And now I don't have the same motor. So you've got to kind of try to pick your spots and try to, you know. And you can feel that, that you don't have the same. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.
54:21So you've got to kind of, your game kind of evolves. It becomes a little bit more mature. But in terms of the motivation side, it's just to continually get better. I mean, even now, 33 years old, going on 17 years in the league, I'm still trying to figure out how to get better. There was a quote that when I read it, I figured I had to bring this up. During your first year with the Lakers, you said, quote, when I'm 35 years old, I'm not going to be in the league. By then, I'll be relaxing with my family overseas somewhere. Your thoughts on that now? It's still probably accurate. Really? It's still probably accurate.
54:56Why do you say that? My 18th year in the league. I mean, that's a long time to be playing. It'll be my last year in my contract. So I don't know. I don't know if I'll play any longer than that. I don't know. How strongly do you feel about that? I mean, it's just a possibility. It's not something that I even gave it much thought to, but it's a possibility. It could happen. When do you think you give that more thought? At the end of the year, that year, probably. I think you'll know. I mean, I'm not sure. I mean, I've seen so many players retired and think they know and then come back. and then you retire and come back.
55:36And I don't want to be one of those guys, but I know they've all said it too. So it must be tougher than it sounds to be able to retire and know when that moment is actually there. So we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, I guess. To what extent is there the concern of just being able to replicate that satisfaction or that adrenaline rush that you get from playing the game? I mean, after, when you're finished playing? No, you know, I'm pretty good about that, actually. I've never really played for, like, the adrenaline rush or the hype or anything like that. I've never really played for that.
56:13Like, I play because I enjoy playing, and somebody has to win, so I'd rather it be me because it's a little bit more fun when you win. Right. You know, so that's kind of why I play. I've never really played for the hype or, you know, the fame that comes along with it. How would you like your career to be looked back on? I would love for people to look at my career and say that I maximized everything that I possibly could. Every ounce of talent that I had, I got the most out of it. And if people can say that about me, then I'll be very happy. Lakers this coming season, your expectations? I have no idea what's going to go on.
56:54It's a big summer obviously for us as a team, for us as a franchise in terms of tweaks that we made to the roster and who stays, who goes, all this other stuff. So everything right now is kind of a moving target. So it's hard for me to kind of sit down and give blind expectations because I don't know what the roster is going to be next year. But I expect us to be right there in the thick of things no matter what. So tell me about these shoes. Yeah, well, Nike's, that's like family to me. Those are pretty good looking. Yeah, so they are amazing at coming up with all kinds of technology and things to really wrap up my vision for my particular shoe for that season.
57:40So I come to them with all of these things. I want the shoe to be lighter, but I want it to be stable. I want it to have great cushion when I'm running around. And I'm like, well, how are we supposed to make the shoe lighter and still keep all this cushion? I'm like, I don't know. That's what you do. I have no idea. And how does this conversation go? Is it via email, on the phone, in person? No, we meet in person. We meet in person. The designer extraordinaire is Eric Abar, who learned from the great Tinker Hatfield, who did all of Jordan's shoes while he was playing. And so he's just this brilliant mind.
58:13And our entire team at Nike is incredibly talented and brilliant. And so I sit in a room with them and I throw all these inspirations at them. This is what I want the shoe to be technically. Aesthetically, this is my inspiration going into this season. And they do a phenomenal job of tying that all in. And they present a shoe that matches those inspirations. So how about the shoe right now that you're most proud of? Yeah, well, I'm most proud of the shoe because it gives me options. And that's kind of one of the things that I wanted to do. I wanted to have, you know, as I get older in my career.
58:48And is that the shoe? This is the shoe. Yeah, this is the shoe. So you have options of different inserts that you can put in. You can have a thicker sole. You can have a lighter sole. And the reason why I wanted that is because, you know, when I play and when I practice, I probably need to play with a thicker sole because it gives you more protection. It's softer on your knees. You know, but when I step out to perform and when I play, I want a lower sole, something that's lighter to the floor where I can feel the floor underneath me and shave seconds off of my movements. So, you know, it's just little things like that that really separates Nike and what they do.
59:20What do you recall from the first time you moved out of home way back when? Being like, oh, yes! Finally! You know what I mean? I'm like 18. Right. You know? But then it was like, you know, clothes start piling up. You know what I mean? It was like, you know, the food's not going to make itself. You know, the bed's not going to make itself. And you're just kind of like, oh, damn. You don't look too great anyway. Yeah, it's like, oh, I really have to grow up right now. The first time you were looking for a house for yourself, what do you recall from that process? I remember just kind of looking in different areas and, you know, Beverly Hills being one of them and, you know, all the hot spots, you know, that L.A.
1:00:06is known for. But at the time, that's kind of when paparazzi and all that stuff started kind of emerging. And I didn't want to deal with any of that stuff, so I chose to stay away from those areas. You don't exactly have a bad setup. Newport helicopter to the... Yeah, I mean, it's away, but it's away from those areas where all of that stuff goes on. For a person that's been in Hollywood for so many years, I'm the least Hollywood person. You're probably fine. We had people submit questions online for you and just wanted to read three of them to you, the first of which is from Jonathan. What are your plans after you leave the game of basketball?
1:00:49Well, just to, first of all, for a couple years I'll probably do absolutely nothing. And then, you know, the Nike business is something that really interests me in terms of how we put shoes together and apparel. kind of being a visionary behind that process, I mean, that's something that's extremely enjoyable. Robbie asks, what inspires you? I draw inspirations from a lot of places, you know, from nature, from other people who are great at their craft. So I try to look around me and find inspiration from all over the place. Jared, what can I do to get better as a 13-year-old guard? Just continue to play.
1:01:35Just play, play, play, play, play, and have fun playing. You know, I probably didn't do a basketball drill, like dribble through the cones, you know, all those other stuff. I probably didn't do a basketball drill until I was like 16. Up until that point, it was just me going to parks, just playing by myself, using my imagination, and just doing different things that I've probably saw on TV, and playing pickup games, and just kind of learning as I go, just having fun. Really a pleasure, Cody. Oh, man. Thanks for listening to my 2012 sit down with Kobe Bryant. What was so impressive to me when spending time with him is you feel like you're the only person and the most important person in the room when he's talking to you.
1:02:23His eyes are locked. He's fully engaged. If you get a chance, give us a rating and review. Really appreciate you making it this far. and thanks again for listening. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile, with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop. With Mint, you can get premium wireless for just$15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying, no judgments, but that's weird. Okay, one judgment. Anyway, give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch. Upfront payment of$45 for three-month plan, equivalent to$15 per month required.
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From the publisher
In this episode of the In Depth Podcast, we revisit our 2012 interview with the legendary Kobe Bryant five years after his tragic passing. Hear Kobe reflect on his unforgettable career moments, unshakable mindset, and complex relationship with Shaquille O’Neal. Bryant also opens up about the challenges he faced, including the impact of criminal charges that threatened his career.
