NBA icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has always been a big fan of Kobe Bryant, and it is quite clear his appreciation and admiration for the Los Angeles Lakers star is on a deeper level.
On Wednesday to celebrate Mamba Day, KAJ offered a unique perspective on Bryant's “achievements.” Instead of focusing on Kobe's accolades as an NBA champion and MVP, however, Abdul-Jabbar shared a rather different take on what made Kobe so great: his missed shots.
Bryant owns the record for most missed career field goals in NBA history. While many see it as a dent on his legacy, Kareem thinks otherwise. Instead, for him, it is the “foundation of his greatness as an athlete.” He added that it is “one of the reasons our affection for the man transcends our admiration for the athlete.”
“Kobe Bryant holds the record for most missed shots in NBA history. To some that’s a bad thing. To me, it means he wasn’t intimidated by missing, by losing, by failure. He didn’t hesitate by worrying, ‘What if I miss? What will the coaches think? The team? The fans?' He acted like the ultimate competitor: he took the shot,” Abdul-Jabbar added.
Kobe Bryant missed 14,481 shots throughout his career, and while some interpret it that he's a “ball hog” or “not a good shooter,” it also means that he just doesn't give up even when things get tough. As Kareem Abdul-Jabbar highlighted, that stat proves he was never afraid to take the shot no matter what the situation was or what people would say about him.
That is definitely an incredible view of Kobe and his legacy as an NBA superstar, and it certainly paints Kobe's Mamba Mentality in a new light.
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