by Ryne Nelson / @slaman10
Kobe Bryant knows who he is. He knows what he does. And he doesn’t give a damn about the rest.
After Bryant’s clutch Game 3, Mamba, in so few words, told Yahoo! he doesn’t care much of his critics:
“I don’t give a [expletive] what you say,” Bryant told Yahoo! Sports late Friday. “If I go out there and miss game winners, and people say, ‘Kobe choked, or Kobe is seven for whatever in pressure situations.’ Well, [expletive] you.
“Because I don’t play for your [expletive] approval. I play for my own love and enjoyment of the game. And to win. That’s what I play for. Most of the time, when guys feel the pressure, they’re worried about what people might say about them. I don’t have that fear, and it enables me to forget bad plays and to take shots and play my game.”
Like all the greats, Kobe has the mental part of the game figured out. The Lakers may play in Hollywood, but winning Championships is real.
Good riddance to the Enigma.
