Dear @kobebryant
Thank you for a life lesson that I will never forget. It's a difference maker that I had to share. pic.twitter.com/0urydB52kI
— Jay Williams (@RealJayWilliams) August 5, 2017
Instead of releasing more of those surreal Muse Cage videos with that sock puppet, Kobe Bryant should just ask former opponents to share stories about how he inspired or embarrassed them in the past with his borderline crazy work-ethic. Stories like the one posted by former NBA player and NCAA great Jay Williams never get old.
"The game is at 7. I'm going to come to Staples Center at 3 and make sure I make 400 made shots. Get to the gym, who do I see? I see Kobe Bryant already working out. It's not like his moves are nonchalant. He's doing game moves and I sit there and unlace my shoes. I want to see how long this goes. I sit there and watch another 25 minutes. OK, I've seen enough. That game he drops 4o on us and after the game I have to ask this guy, 'why does he work like that?' So after the game I'm like, 'Hey Kobe, why were you in the gym for so long?' He said, 'I saw you coming in and I wanted you to know no matter how hard you work that I'm willing to work harder than you."
Great story and I hate to be the guy who ruins great stories with fact checks but Kobe "only" scored 21 points (along with 10 boards, 7 assists and 5 steals) in the only game Jay played at Staples. In their only other meeting, in Chicago, Kobe scored a game-high 36 and Jay had 11 points (5 of 6 shooting) in a 17-point victory for the Bulls.