After Kobe Bryant suffered a gruesome ankle injury in Game 2 of the 2000 NBA Finals, doubt started to creep in. Los Angeles Lakers fans knew how critical Kobe was to the team’s success. He wasn’t just Shaquille O’Neal‘s sidekick. The Mamba was a superstar in his own right.
True enough, the Lakers lost Game 3 while Kobe was resting his ankle. Will Bryant suit up for Game 4? A loss would tie the series up at 2-2 and shift all momentum to the Reggie Miller-led Indiana Pacers.
Just like Mike
Kobe dispelled all fears as he laced his sneakers up for Game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals. Bryant looked as healthy as ever, knocking down signature perimeter shots, driving to the hoop and dishing drop passes to O’Neal.
The 21-year-old Mamba was wise beyond his years. He knew the stakes were high. A bad ankle would never prevent him from playing in one of the biggest games of his career.
The Philly native was also aware of history. He witnessed his hero, Michael Jordan, play through the flu. The young Frobe wanted to forge his name among the greatest ballers ever. One way to do that is to push past pain.
“He came over to me and said, ‘In this situation, Jordan wouldn’t let his team lose,'” Lakers veteran guard Brian Shaw said of Bryant, via the Los Angeles Times. “‘So why should I let mine?’ He had that look in his eye.”
Game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals went to overtime. Midway into the extra period, O’Neal fouled out, and the life was seemingly sucked out of the Lakers‘ roster.
But in a burst of brilliance, the young Mamba took over and knocked down three consecutive buckets to seal the win. He infamously told his teammates to calm down. The victory put the Lakers up 3-1, just one win away from claiming that elusive Larry O’Brien trophy.
Ready for prime time
Years later, Bryant shared the secrets behind his miraculous comeback. His return from the ankle injury wasn’t just the result of a mighty adrenaline rush. Kobe had been preparing for such a moment. His summer training regimen was tailor-made to heal as fast as possible.
“My cardio workouts centered around recovery — that is, the time it takes to recover in between sprints. The reason I placed an acute focus on that element is because basketball dictates short bursts where you run as fast as you can, then have a moment to recover, then burst again. I wanted to make sure that I would always be ready for the next burst of action,” Bryant wrote in his book, “The Mamba Mentality: How I Play.”
The training itself was one thing. The game was another monster. Knowing his ankle wasn’t 100%, Kobe tweaked his playstyle in such a way that he had the upper hand, and not the opponent. He didn’t allow his defenders to force him into something he didn’t want to do.
In just his first NBA Finals appearance, Kobe already had his Jordan moment. Pain was indeed temporary, and success is forever. Bad ankle and all, the Lakers icon snagged his first of five NBA Championships.