Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players in the history of basketball – 5-time NBA champion, 18-time All-Star, 12-time All-Defense, 2008 MVP, 2-time Finals MVP. He even had a 81-point game.
But if you think any of these were the defining moment in his career you'd be wrong.
During his rookie season, one game stands out as the day the 18-year-old phenom put the entire league on notice.
It's when NBA legends realized this young man was coming for them.
It's the moment Kobe established his greatness.
May 12, 1997 – With the clock winding down in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals, a young Kobe Bryant drove to his right, stopped short at the foul line and pulled up for the game-winning shot attempt.
The only problem – it was an airball.
The game went into overtime. During which Bryant would go on to shoot three more airballs. Two within the final minute of the game.
The Lakers would lose the game and with it, the series – bringing their 1997 season to a close.
If you're not a basketball player - an "airball" is when the ball doesn't even touch the rim.
Missing that badly can wreak havoc psychologically, even for the most confident shooters.
Can you imagine doing it in front of the entire basketball world – not once, but four times?
Kobe's willingness to continue shooting under these conditions was a rare demonstration of supreme self-confidence.
This level of confidence became his signature strength.
It was his superpower, if you will.
Had Kobe been someone who let the opinions of others shake his belief in himself, he never would have gone on to achieve all of the awards mentioned at the beginning of this thread.
As a player, I was not a fan of Kobe. His style of play didn't resonate with me. However, this moment did.
Kobe, the man, I couldn't help but admire for his willingness to step up and try, at a time when most of us would have shied away.
The best part is Kobe Bryant could have been great at anything during his life. He simply chose basketball.
Basketball was his vehicle for self-actualization and full self-expression.
His confidence in himself would've allowed him to succeed at anything in this world.
You may be facing a similar situation in your life.
Perhaps not on a stage as big as the one Kobe Bryant found himself on.
But you may be feeling like you shot a few airballs recently.
Remember this story. You're only a failure if you stop trying.
I'm Andrew Henderson. I write about aligning your life's work with your soul's mission in this lifetime.
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