Friday, March 11th, 2011 at 9:00 am  |  95 responses

Kobe Bryant’s Strange, Captivating Postgame Workout


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

He was mad. Furious about the Lakers‘ poor late-game execution (mostly his own), a perceived lack of calls from the refs down the stretch, and the sting of having lost to the Miami Heat both times this season, during enormously hyped national TV games.

So Kobe Bryant did what he always does: he went to work.

Bean met with reporters following the game last night, and then went back out on the court to shoot jumpers for more than an hour, as bewildered Heat ball boys rebounded for him, and reporters looked on in disbelief and breathlessly updated the rest of us through Twitter late into the evening.

Once finished with the workout, Bryant calmly explained that this was not at all out of the ordinary. From the OC Register:

With his gray shirt soaked from top to bottom with sweat, Bryant finished up just after midnight Eastern time … and said he was headed to the weight room. “Just trying to get better, that’s all,” Bryant said.

“It’s really not a big deal to me. Just working on different things. Just gotta keep on doin’ it … It’s good to get one (workout) in tonight and get some rest,” Bryant said. “Have a good day of travel tomorrow and be ready Saturday (vs. Dallas).” Bryant estimated that he has done this postgame road shooting a couple of times before, guessing that the most recent was in the 2004 NBA playoffs. “It’s my job,” he said. “You’ve got to work at it.”

The legend of Kobe Bryant has largely been built on his relentless and maniacal work ethic, which has netted him 5 championship rings. It has also been built on a certain level of inimitable weirdness.

Last night’s workout following a tough 40 minutes of NBA basketball captured those two Kobe Bryant traits perfectly.

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  • http://slamonline.com The Black Rick Kamla

    its what makes the best the best.

  • http://Nba.com GP23

    …..and this is why he is the best player in the game today.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Jahmai

    Legend.

  • Cyubahiro

    Who said G.O.A.T?

  • http://slamonline.com AllBall

    I hope the ball boy’s are getting paid overtime.

  • Justin

    Nobody said G.O.A.T. The only difference between this and MJ is the time of the workouts. Jordan was known for his relentless workouts in the morning, game day or not. He also brought Scottie Pippen and Ron Harper into it. And like TBRK said, this is what makes Kobe the best.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    Imagine if he could have made a shot DURING the game? Better yet, imagine if he could have kept Dwyane in front of him for more than a second?

  • rnz

    So the Lakers can’t even beat the Heat when they’re at their best and the Heat are at their worst. If it’s a Heat Lakers finals i know who i got.
    MIAMI!

  • Joe

    The best.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Myles Brown

    When is Kobe going to practice passing after a game? Did Pau come out and practice standing by the basket?

  • allenp

    Kinda rude but still gangsta.

  • mick

    big deal , kobe wet there pants

  • mick

    maybe if he keeps practicing he might shoot 50% one day

  • http://www.fiba.com Darksaber

    So did the team stay the night in MIA or did his chuckernes hold up the team bus?

  • http://Slamonline.com Mars

    Black Mamba

  • http://www.slamonline.com Jahmai

    Kobe was 8-21, it’s not the worst game he ever had, in fact LeBron was 7-17 and Dwade was 9-23.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Myles Brown

    LeBron and Wade don’t have Pau and Bynum. They have to shoot that much, even if they’re cold. Kobe doesn’t. Pass the f*cking ball.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Jahmai

    C’mon, this happens EVERY year, people have got to start seeing a pattern. Kobe gets old, Bynum get injured, Ron loses his mind, Odom is inconsistent, Pau wants more touches, Kobe is selfish, Lakers don’t have it anymore. Ta-da Lakers win a championship.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Jahmai

    Every year = last 2 years, lol.

  • slimshady

    my man

  • Justin

    No, Lebron and Wade don’t have Pau and Bynum. They have Bosh and Miller. Those aren’t bad options either. Eboy, kind of a dumb comment to make considering nobody else can keep Wade in front of them either. mz, you really think that was Miami at their worst? Miami didn’t play bad and win. Overall, they played really well and maybe they have it figured out now. Get Bosh involved early and let Wade be the finisher

  • robb

    Remarkable. He would benefit more from rest at this point though. Overworking your body can be counterproductive.

  • http://dsfjflf.com Jukai

    Say what you want about Myles, he calls it for both sides.

  • http://dsfjflf.com Jukai

    Plus why does this make him the greatest? He practices now because he can’t practice during actual team practices because of his knees. Great.

  • All Day

    Kobe had an un-Mamba like performance down the stretch. Maybe if Kobe actually drove the ball to the basket instead of pulling up for fadeaway jumpers, he would get those calls.

  • Red Star

    KOBE! Lakers 4 Life!!

  • http://www.slamonline.com Myles Brown

    Actually, up until last night, Mike Miller has been a horrible option. And he’s still not seven feet tall. And Lord knows Bosh will shrink back into his shell soon enough.

  • izzo

    Seems as if Kobe’s getting more and more concerned with his cult of personality, it’s as if this was done expressly to be used as an example of his OCD level perfectionism in future books.

  • robb

    ^^^^^
    I don’t think so, he’s been like that since he was a teenager.

  • bnets

    Kobe was crying then called a white girl after

  • http://www.slamonline.com/ niQ

    I actually LOL’d at Myles Brown’s 9:21 am comment. WOww. lol

  • http://stapledesign.com Spaceship Jay

    Co-sign Myles; The Lakers had the exact opposite of what the Heat have.. A dominating outside presence. Bynum and Pau should have had 20-10 each. However, I don’t think it should be overlooked that Pau is intimidated by predominately black teams. I’m joking, but…

  • Kid Dynamite

    Co-sign niQ ^^^^, I just did that LOL. That was vicious….

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Myles hates Bosh. And he is wrong about him. You shall see myfriend. You don’t put up 24 and 12 if you ant play.

  • bnets

    Kobe is still crying

  • anon

    When you say Bron and Wade don’t have 2 guys to pass, to unlike Kobe, you understand that Bron and Wade, being two people, also have each other to pass to? So Bron has Wade and Bosh, for example, who I would take as options over Pau and Bynum. Especially Bynum. Pau is better than CB, imo.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    I like this about the Bean. Something only the greats do. Best in the game.

  • kobesbestfriend

    Kobe did lose them the game but the officiating in the last 2 minutes was horrid

  • http://www.wfp.org/ Felix

    KOBE! Gotta get those shots up. That’s how you get better. That’s how Kobe got where he is today.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Mars

    Miami vs. Dallas . Rematch of 2006. Or Lakers vs Celtics. Rematch of last years finals.

  • JTaylor21

    Propaganda at its purest form.

  • Ryan D.

    What is so weird about him going out after the game and shooting jumpshots? The guy is a perfectionst who is a master of his craft.

  • snasty10

    why is this “strange”? ive heard of other players doing this to, and it just shows his dedication

  • capostat

    Forget officiating. The Lakers sloppy passes, and Ron Artest lost them the game.

  • K.a.

    Myles with the burn. Dont think its that much of a biggie. U guys never stayed back to shoot out of frustation when u have a bad game on the court?

  • bogoyme

    Hello there salty Laker fans? Damn Kobe ballhogged and shot the team out last 2 minutes. Got beaten out on a pick and roll by Dwade then got bullied by Queen JAMES. Deym Mavs will get blood. Mamba ain’t gonna lost 2 in a row big games

  • hoodsnake

    A tad predictable. I mean 2 assists? For a guard? He is great but he needs to learn to trust his teammates and pass the ball.

  • 6marjons

    Not that miami will get there but I don’t think Kobe will let his team lose in the finals

  • http://www.twiter.com/dfrance21 dfrance21

    How is this NOT strange? How often does a player, when he’s on the ROAD come back to the opposing teams MAIN court to work on his shot an hour after he just played a game? That NEVER ever happens ever. I like Kobe and I know he’s dedicated to his game, but I feel like this was nothing more than a calculated “keep the spotlight on LA and off the Heat” stunt.

  • http://theresastatforthat.blogspot.com Deron

    Kobe’s problem is not his shooting ability; it’s his shot selection.

    http://theresastatforthat.blogspot.com/2011/03/kobes-shot-selection-driving-ability.html

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