LA Lakers legend Byron Scott reveals the first thing Kobe Bryant ever told him, ‘he was right’

Byron Scott on rookie Kobe Bryant’s work ethic

When Bryant made his debut during the 1996-97 season, he was nowhere close to the player that he became in the prime of his career.

After all, Bryant averaged just 7.6, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. While Kobe wasn’t a star for the Lakers, he was still a workhorse, and Scott recently shed some light on that in an exclusive interview with ESPN LA.

“Kobe took it to a different level with the Mamba Mentality, of just really working out two or three times a day,” Scott said.

He added: “And that’s what the first thing he told me was, he would work out two or three times a day, and he said, ‘In 10 years, nobody would be able to catch you’. And he was right.

“If you put that much time into it, you’re going to continually get better and better.”

Bryant indeed got better and better throughout his career as he retired in 2016 as a 5x NBA champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, and held several records to his name.

What Kobe Bryant did in the gym reveals Byron Scott

While many have heard of the Mamba Mentality, one may wonder what exactly Bryant did to get an edge over his competitors.

Fortunately, Scott, who was on the Lakers during Kobe’s rookie year, shared the behind-the-scenes routine of the Hall of Famer.

“He went to the gym every day, before practice, then practice, and then after practice. And he went there with a purpose every single time,” Scott continued.

“He didn’t go there just to shoot around, he went there with a purpose. So one day it might be just working on mid-range game and his footwork,” the 3x NBA champion concluded.

Bryant’s hard work paid off, as even more than five years after his tragic passing, fans regard him with utmost respect and view him as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.