Kobe Bryant is an unbelievable basketball player that has shown over and over that basketball psychology is a major key in the success of game. He is special, talented, passionate and full of confidence and courage. How do we know this? Simply put, look at all the injuries that Kobe has had through the years and look at how unlike others who may sit out Kobe doesn’t. This is a true example of mind over matter. He played through many injuries unless he absolutely could not.
What allows him to do this as opposed to many others players that chose not to? It’s hard to nail it down to one thing as it is a number of variables that are involved that give Kobe the ability to play thru all the injuries he has amassed through the years. If forced to choose one word I would venture to say that it is due to Kobe’s heart for the game and his basketball mental toughness.
Kobe is a true Laker player as established by the early dynasties. He plays the game with such heart and passion that he eludes the confidence and courage that is what is expected of any player on the Lakers team. Though it’s expected, not all the Lakers posses what Kobe does; a unique mental game of basketball.
To play with extreme heart and passion means to do what he does, play through injuries. Is there more than heart and passion involved? Absolutely. There is a basketball mental toughness that allows Kobe to not be afraid or to feel the pain that is involved with the injury as he plays through it on the court.
In the All-star game, he received a broken nose by one of the opposing team players. Did he sit down on the bench or go to the locker room or even get a face guard? No. Instead he kicked in his mental toughness, passion and determination to a higher notch and played extremely well down to the last second. His nose was bleeding, he had to be in pain yet his mental preparation, courage and basketball mental toughness would not allow him to take himself out of the game.
Kobe is a true Laker through and through. The Laker fans love him, the vast majority of NBA fans respect him and the media is consistently impressed by his ability to put his mind over whatever injury he may have and keep playing just as hard as if he had never been injured. He is a true testimony to basketball mental toughness and playing with heart and courage.
