"And I'm looking at him like, 'Huh?'" - Rip Hamilton on why Kobe Bryant started icing his knees when he was 16

Kobe Bryant and Rip Hamilton grew up together harboring NBA dreams. They competed against one another and saw how one got better every day.

According to the former Detroit Pistons guard, Kobe was a different breed of player early on. Even when he had fresh young knees, the Black Mamba would ice them to accelerate the healing process.

Striving for greatness

"When we were kids, when we were 16 years old, and we're traveling to AAU events, and I'd say to him, 'Hey Kob,' look, after the game, let's go to the mall and hang out.' And he'll say, 'Man, Rip, I would, but I gotta go back to the room and watch game film and ice my knees.' And I'm looking at him like, 'Huh?'" Rip said, per CBS Sports .

While Hamilton knew about the sport's fundamentals and tactics, icing one's knees and watching game films was out of his vocabulary. In retrospect, the guard knew precisely why Bryant sacrificed parties to recover and review tapes.

"At that time, you were like, 'Ice? What?' But he was locked in. He wanted to be the best. So when you're around that, now you see what greatness is… But you learn, and you pick up little stuff like that, and that's what's awesome about having a great friend, especially at the same position as you," he added.

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Kobe vs Rip, 2004 NBA Finals

Fast-forward to 2004, when they were both in their 20s and in their basketball prime. Rip and Kobe fought for an NBA Championship. The Los Angeles Lakers guard was on a quest to snag his fourth championship. Meanwhile, the Pistons guard was fishing for his first one.

Hamilton explained why he was desperate to beat the Black Mamba in the 2004 NBA Finals on the' Real Ones' podcast with Raja Bell and Logan Murdock.

"I couldn't allow Kobe to beat me again," he said . "He beat for the state championship in Pennsylvania. It was almost got to a point where I was walking to the locker room, looking at Ben. Rasheed, Chauncey, and I'm like, 'Bro, I can't let this dude beat me again.'"

One can only imagine how satisfied and relieved Hamilton was after beating Kobe. To some extent, the three-time All-Star owes a thing or two to his childhood friend. For one, the Mamba taught Rip how to be great even at a young age. Two, losses shouldn't gut your fortitude, but rather, they should kindle your competitive fire.

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