MINDSET: A Reflection on Kobe Bryant’s Impact on Oklahoma HS Basketball
“It’s just his mindset.” “He was a family-first guy… his daughter was his light and knowing family was his main priority allowed him to have that killer mentality on the court, he knew what he was doing it all for.” “There’s a lot of things in the game you can’t control, but [Kobe] always made sure he put in the work to control what he could.” “He pushed himself to a higher limit than anyone thought possible, physically and emotionally.” These are just a couple of Oklahoma high school basketball athletes and coaches’ responses to the sudden passing of basketball icon Kobe Bryant.
As the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, Bryant was highly touted as a prospect but still found a way to exceed all expectations and become known as one of the greatest men to ever touch a basketball. He defined himself through his supernatural work ethic, going to extreme measures to make sure he would be the biggest threat possible on the court at all times.
We spoke with some of the fiercest competitors in Oklahoma high school basketball and asked them how Kobe Bryant made an impact on their style of play.
Del City’s Nate Goodlow, an excellent two-way player shares that Bryant “always motivated” him and pushed other players in his generation to “work harder and achieve his mentality.”
Kingfisher guard Bijan Cortes expressed his sorrow in Bryant’s passing explaining that “he wasn’t just a basketball player” and he “motivated people outside of the game.”
Norman North head coach Kellen McCoy has a unique perspective on Kobe Bryant’s impact on him as a player, coach, and father. Through the lens of a father, McCoy explained that “Kobe’s daughters meant the world to him, they were his driving force and pushed him to be the best player and role model he could be. He used it to motivate him and let nobody supersede his level of play, anything was possible in his mind.” As a coach, McCoy said he wishes to instill the “Mamba Mentality” and “killer instincts” Bryant was so well known for into the players he works with every day. “Mentality is everything,” McCoy states, “it’s what separates a good player from a great player.
It is apparent to all those in the basketball world how important Kobe Bryant was to the game, the community, and the whole world. His spirit of the game lives within the players of the future in our state of Oklahoma and throughout the whole world.
Rest in Peace Kobe “Bean” Bryant
A special thank you to all those who contributed to this work, it is important to find where the inspiration for players of today’s game comes from, and those who contributed did just that.