"The only time I took a game off is when I couldn't walk" - When Kobe Bryant sounded off on load management

Nowadays, NBA teams use load management as a tool to preserve their star players' health. Some players, too, seem fond of it as it could prolong their basketball careers.

When load management was slowly gaining traction around the NBA, a retired Kobe Bryant was asked for his thoughts about it. The Los Angeles Lakers icon was completely against the method and cited two reasons why he didn't take time off.

Pushing yourself to the extreme

"No, the only time I took a game off is when I couldn't walk," Kobe said , per The Athletic. "The thing about taking games off is your games, your seasons in your career go by really, really, quickly. So, you want to make sure you don't miss any of those moments."

"The other part about that is there are kids in the crowd and families in the crowd," Kobe continued. "This will be the only time they get a chance to see you. They save up their hard-earned money to watch you perform. So, if you can walk and perform, get there and perform."

Bryant's answer showed his deep love for the sport. He knew playing the sport you love for a living was a big blessing. And so whenever he could, he donned his jersey and laced up his sneakers.

The Lakers legend was also aware that basketball is a form of entertainment. This means that basketball players aren't just athletes. They're also showmen. Part of their job is to exhibit their athletic prowess to the paying patrons.

Shooting with a broken finger

Kobe was dead serious when he claimed that he only didn't play when he couldn't walk. There was a stretch in his career where he played with a broken finger and averaged 36 points per contest. Jeff Van Gundy broke down how the Mamba tweaked his shooting mechanics so he could still play .

"See him have his index finger, taking it off the ball, using his thumb more, using his middle finger more to get the rotation. Would you ever know that this guy has a broken finger?" Van Gundy said.

Bryant's love for the game and passion for excellence was unmatched. He didn't allow injuries to prevent him from stepping onto the hard court. Hopefully, future NBA prospects would learn a thing or two from Kobe. Instead of sitting on the bench and chilling on the bench, they would endure the pain and find a way to play.

Related: “He really is a student of this game” - When James Harden went on an unfathomable scoring run in 2018, being compared to Kobe Bryant