Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant had an incredible NBA career, but he didn't exactly start off his journey on a hish note. In fact, the "Black Mamba" labels his first few years in the league as the lowest moments of his career. According to the one-time MVP, not only was he going through an identity crisis, but it also felt like one unfortunate experience after another.
"At the beginning of the journey, it was not playing. Coming in as a rookie knowing sh*t is going to be like this, I would go back to school because I felt like my coach Del Harris at the time was trying to make sure he is not favoring the young kids, and as a result, he swung in the other direction doing things that weren't really fair. My first 2-3 years were a nightmare for me," Bryant said in his appearance on the "All The Smoke" podcast.
Kobe's first few years
When Bryant was drafted by the Lakers in 1996, he wasn't expected to be a superstar right away, which was why he came off the bench for Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel . The five-time champion averaged just 7.6 points and played 15.5 minutes per game. Young Mamba really wanted to prove himself, but he was pissed off that he wasn't getting his opportunity. In fact, Kobe admitted that he thought he should have just gone back to school .
Vino eventually got his opportunity in his second year when his minutes went up from 15.5 a game to 26.0. That was also when the 18-time All-Star's shooting attempts (11.6) and points (15.4) increased.
However, the year he truly ascended was his third year during the lockout season, when Kobe replaced Rick Fox in the starting lineup due to the latter's injury. In 50 games, all of which he started as a shooting guard, Bryant scored 19.9 points in 37.9 minutes per game.
Lakers legend needed patience, even if his peers in his draft class, specifically Allen Iverson and Ray Allen, were already getting their opportunities. It took him until his third year to beceom a starter and get enough minutes to showcase his skills. All that happened because of Bryant's mentality and focus on getting better every day instead of whining about his lack of opportunities to the public.
Related: "I've never been so depressed in my life" - Robert Horry might've never won seven championships if he hadn't experienced his turning point in 1994
Adult Bryant's lowest point
Besides the challenges he faced early in his career, the Philadelphia native also considers the Lakers' defeat to the Boston Celtics in the 2008 Playoffs as the lowest point of his career. That was when his Lakers made it to the NBA Finals after Shaquille O'Neal 's tenure, and they were dismantled by the C's in six games. The two-time NBA Finals MVP once said that he will never forget walking out of the Celtics' parquet floor at the expense of a 39-point loss.
However, like the story of his first few years in the league, LA legend managed to bounce back and win two championships after that crushing Finals series against the Celtics. Kobe's last title, which was in 2010, also happened to be against Boston, so it was the perfect redemption season for him.
Suffice it to say that the "Black Mamba" perfectly depicts the saying that failure indeed leads to success.
Related: "He feels like he can try, but he’s not as good as it as I am" - Kobe Bryant revealed who from the Boston Celtics was trying to trash talk him the most
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