Kobe Bryant Says Cheetahs Inspired His Fadeaway Jumper

Media mogul Arianna Huffington and Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant recently sat down for lunch, and predictably, things got a little weird.

While talking about what inspires them, Kobe revealed to Arianna and a NY Times reporter that he altered his fadeaway jumper after observing how cheetahs do their thing in the wild.

And, no, The Black Mamba is not joking:

There’s your Showtime documentary, “Kobe’s Muse,” in November. What’s that?

 

KB: “You’ll see all the things I do, on and off the court. Every little detail, every tidbit, every improvement. And from that, we peel back the layers to get to who I am — because you can’t understand what I do without understanding who I am.”

 

Sounds like a series.

 

KB: “That’s the vision. I’m the first “Kobe’s Muse,” then we’ll build it out. I want to know how Arianna became Arianna. I had this conversation with Hilary Swank once, and I asked about acting. And she broke down her process all the way to what would the character be watching on TV, what music would she listen to, how much money in her purse, how much change. I’m so interested in all those details.”

 

AH: “People want to know those things.”

 

KB: ”Exactly. I’ll give you an example. When you watch me shoot my fadeaway jumper, you’ll notice my leg is always extended. I had problems making that shot in the past. It’s tough. So one day I’m watching the Discovery Channel and see a cheetah hunting. When the cheetah runs, its tail always gives it balance, even if it’s cutting a sharp angle. And that’s when I was like: My leg could be the tail, right? […] Inspiration surrounds us.”