When Giannis Antetokounmpo trained with Kobe Bryant on the path to winning the NBA MVP award twice, he picked up a lot of knowledge from Black Mamba.
Giannis Antetkounmpo had to put in a lot of effort to get to this position, and late NBA superstar Kobe encouraged him to develop and up his game. Bryant witnessed Giannis’ dedication to the game directly when the 27-year-old began taking notes before and after working out with the legendary Los Angeles Lakers player.
Kobe Bryant had a narrow focus when he entered the NBA as a young, athletic, and slender graduate of Lower Merion High School. He was a recluse who was obsessed with getting his way at any cost. The Lakers legend’s passion continued to burn for two decades as he created one of the greatest careers in NBA history, but something shifted as he entered his latter years.
Kobe discussed Giannis’ approach when they initially teamed up in an interview he gave to The Athletic four years ago. The Milwaukee Bucks player was all about improving, and Kobe could tell because he was listening to his every bit of advice, according to the Black Mamba.
“The league MVP award is a strong contender for Giannis Antetokounmpo. What do you think of the ‘Greek Freak,’ and do his passion and attention make you think of yourself?”, Kobe mentioned.
“This summer, Giannis joined me for a workout and arrived an hour and a half early. Before working out, we had a 20-minute conversation, and now he pulls out a notepad. What the… he begins making notes. ‘How’s the footwork over here? What about this area’s coverage? And he is recording them.” Added Kobe. “He simply thinks that he is just improving all the time. Just the surface is being touched by him.”
That season, all of the effort and hours of study paid off. After defeating the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals of 2021, The Greek Freak is officially the league’s champion. Since his early years, he has come a long way and is now at the top of the globe. Giannis must be relieved that things turned out this way because it has been a long trip. He’s only 27 and eager to further his already remarkable resume with additional championships.
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