101 Kobe Bryant Quotes on Life, Success and Motivation

Kobe Bryant, also known as “Black Mamba,” was among the greatest NBA players.

Born in Philadelphia in 1978, Kobe spent all of his 20-year career playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was given the name “kobe” after the Japanese steak.

He was known for his strong defense and game-winning scores. His dad, Jellybean Joe Bryant, was also a professional basketball player.

After high school, Kobe went straight into professional basketball.

The Charlotte Hornets picked him in the 1996 draft, but he was quickly traded to the Lakers.

Kobe led the Lakers to five NBA championships and scored the second-highest points in a single NBA game.

He retired in 2016, marking his last game with an impressive 60 points.

Sadly, Kobe died in a helicopter crash in 2020.

Related: Basketball Quotes from Basketball Greats and Champions and James Harden Quotes from American Basketball Player

Here are the best quotes from Kobe Bryant on overcoming challenges in life and work hard on your dreams:

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Best Kobe Bryant Quotes on Life

1. “It’s not about the number of hours you practice, it’s about the number of hours your mind is present during the practice.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

2. “The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

3. “If you see me in a fight with a bear, pray for the bear.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

4. “I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

5. “If you want to make history, you have to do historic things.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

6. “Heroes come and go, but legends are forever.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

7. “Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

8. “I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

9. “Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

10. “If you’re afraid to fail, then you’re probably going to fail.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

Inspirational Kobe Bryant Quotes

11. “If there were camera phones back in the day, the biggest athletes in the world would have had a lot of explaining to do.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

12. “I don’t have to hear that criticism, that idiotic criticism anymore.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

13. “I enjoy playing at the heart of it is just a kid who really loves playing the game of basketball.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

14. “I grew up in front of these people, and now they are seeing me as an ‘older’ young man.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

15. “My role is to make sure we’re moving in the right direction, getting points, rebounds, steals, assists, and providing leadership.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

16. “There is power in understanding the journey of others to help create your own.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

17. “I never tried to prove anything to someone else. I wanted to prove something to myself.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

18. “We all can be masters at our craft, but you have to make sacrifices that come along with making that decision.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

19. “Love me or hate me. It’s one or the other. Always has been. Hate my game, my swagger. Hate my fadeaway, my hunger. Hate that I’m a veteran, a champion. Hate that. Hate it with all your heart. And hate that I’m loved for the exact same reasons.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

20. “Each moment of my life I was dreaming of how great I could be, and continued working hard. Each time I closed my eyes I could see me shining bright like a sun.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

21. “You just stay patient, that’s all.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

22. “Listen to how everyone is talking about you. You have to use it as fuel for motivation.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

23. “What I’m doing right now, I’m chasing perfection… and if I don’t get it, I’m going to get this close.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

24. “You can’t be held captive by the fear of failure or the fear of what people may say.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

Top Kobe Bryant Quotes

25. “Everything has a purpose. And that purpose has a story that goes along with it. It just depends on what your passion is.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

26. “When you love something, you’ll always come back to it. You’ll always keep asking questions, and finding answers.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

27. “If you make it, great. If you miss it, what’s there to be afraid of?” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

28. “These young guys are playing checkers. I’m out there playing chess.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

29. “I focus on one thing and one thing only – that’s trying to win as many championships as I can.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

30. “People just don’t understand how obsessed I am with winning.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

31. “Winning takes precedence overall. There’s no gray area. No almosts.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

32. “I’ll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it’s sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

33. “As far as carrying the torch for the years to come, I don’t know. I just want to be the best basketball player I can be.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

34. “I don’t want to be the next Michael Jordan, I only want to be Kobe Bryant.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

35. “My parents are my backbone. Still are. They’re the only group that will support you if you score zero or you score 40.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

36. “Sports are such a great teacher. I think of everything they’ve taught me: camaraderie, humility, how to resolve differences.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

37. “Basketball is my refuge, my sanctuary. I go back to being a kid on the playground. When I get here, it’s all good.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

Famous Kobe Bryant Quotes

38. “I’m reflective only in the sense that I learn to move forward. I reflect with a purpose.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

39. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what the injury – unless it’s completely debilitating – I’m going to be the same player I’ve always been. I’ll figure it out. I’ll make some tweaks, some changes, but I’m still coming.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

40. “The party’s just getting started. This is where the fun starts.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

41. “The motivation for me is just the game itself, just playing the game the right way and trying to win, compete every time I step out there on the floor. That’s motivation enough for me to go out there and play well.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

42. “Where are your balls at?” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

43. “I don’t just try to score. The challenge is elevating my teammates to be able to win a championship.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

44. “Everyone looks at your watch and it represents who you are, your values, and your personal style.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

45. “You’re my backbone. You’re a blessing. You’re a piece of my heart. You’re the air I breathe. And you’re the strongest person I know, and I’m so sorry for having to put you through this and having to put our family through this.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

46. “I’m playing against great players, playing against the best in the world. The competition that’s what I’ve always wanted.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

47. “I’m focused on the task that lies ahead for us.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

48. “You can’t go and anticipate what it is that you want to see. You just have to be present. Be where you are.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

49. “Once you open your eyes and start looking around you, you start picking up things that are very obvious.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

50. “Christmas morning, I’m going to open presents with my kids. I’m going to take pictures of them opening the presents. Then I’m going to come to the Staples Center and get ready to work.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

51. “I’ve pretty much done all I can here and, you know, God will carry me the rest of the way, so I’m pretty comfortable with that.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

Popular Kobe Bryant Quotes

52. “One thing you gotta know about me is I have absolutely no filter. I have no problem saying what the hell I think of someone.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

53. “Those times when you get up early and you work hard; those times when you stay up late and you work hard; those times when you don’t feel like working, you’re too tired, you don’t want to push yourself, but you do it anyway; that is actually the dream. That’s the dream. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

54. “Being a leader, it’s the art of trying to find the balance, the right times with each individual and what they need at that moment. It requires looking outward as opposed to looking inside.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

55. “I like playing for the purple and gold. This is where I want to finish up.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

56. “I wear the number 10 Jersey for the US National Team in honour of the Greatest athlete I have ever seen: Messi.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

57. “I don’t want to say I’ll be back at the top of my game because everybody’s gonna think I’m crazy and it’s the old player not letting go sort of thing, but that’s what it’s gonna be.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

58. “When I’m finished playing, I want people to say, ‘He handled this well, he kept his cool.’” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

59. “The important thing is that your teammates have to know you’re pulling for them and you really want them to be successful.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

60. “I was an idiot when I was a kid.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

61. “The Black Mamba collection of watches is me: It is my alter ego, so to speak. As I mentioned before, it is sharp, cutting edge and sleek which are characteristics I try to apply when I’m out there on the basketball court.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

62. “The people who truly know me know what I’m like. There have been people who try to say things that aren’t fair, and I check them. And then they don’t like me because I checked them.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

63. “It’s different from being 21 and you think there’s endless amount of opportunities. At 33, the ending is much, much closer.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

64. “I’m not the most patient of people.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

65. “I realize now that there’s a strength in dunking that I can use to my advantage. When you dunk all the time it isn’t as demoralizing to the opponent, but when you dunk at a key moment in the game you can use it to change the momentum.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

66. “He shouldn’t have been in the NBA, but we were too cheap to pay for a point guard.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

67. “You want me to own a team and deal with these rich, spoiled stubborn athletes, and try to get them to perform? No thank you.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

68. “The topic of leadership is a touchy one. A lot of leaders fail because they don’t have the bravery to touch that nerve or strike that chord. Throughout my years, I haven’t had that fear.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

69. “I don’t talk trash often, but when I do, I go for the jugular.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

70. “What does perfection look like to me? Championship rings.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

71. “He is a fool who only sees the mischiefs that are past.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

72. “I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don’t leave any bullets in the chamber.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

73. “There’s been a lot of talk of me being a one-man show but that’s simply not the case. We win games when I score 40 points and we’ve won when I score 10.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

Inspiring Kobe Bryant Quotes

74. “Just got one more than Shaq. You can take that to the bank.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

75. “What people see on court is another side of me; it’s not me.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

76. “I wouldn’t say I’m a ball hog. I’m a shooter.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

77. “I love going one-on-one with someone. That’s what I do. I’ve never lost. It’s a whole different game, just to have them right in front of you and be able to do whatever you want.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

78. “Sometimes I do wonder what college would have been like. But I made my decision.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

79. “I draw from the crowd a lot.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

80. “Dropkick Murphys get me going, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana… plus, all the regular hip-hop stuff.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

81. “I won’t react to something just because I’m supposed to, because I’m an African-American.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

82. “If they want to win right now, I’m all for it. That’s all I said the whole time. If you want to wait five years, let me know. My legs aren’t as young as they used to be.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

83. “I’m extremely willful to win, and I respond to challenges. Scoring titles and stuff like that… it sounds, well, I don’t care how it sounds – to me, scoring comes easy. It’s not a challenge to me to win the scoring title, because I know I can.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

84. “I think that game is a testament to what happens when you put no ceiling to what you’re capable of doing.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

85. “I wouldn’t say I’m a ball hog. I’m a shooter. I don’t necessarily hog the ball, but I put them up, though. I definitely much rather shoot it than pass it. That’s just how I am.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

Motivational Kobe Bryant Quotes

86. “The only thing I’m afraid of is bees. I don’t like bees. I’m allergic to them.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

87. “In an individual sport, yes, you have to win titles. Baseball’s different. But basketball, hockey? One person can control the tempo of a game, can completely alter the momentum of a series. There’s a lot of great individual talent.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

88. “It never bothered me when people would say, ‘You only win championships because you’re playing with Shaq.’ It bothered me when he said it.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

89. “I’m not jumping through the gym by any means. But I don’t need to be able to do that in order to be a great player.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

90. “I feel like I just returned a 100-yard kickoff in the last two minutes of the Super Bowl to win it all, only to have my run called back by a flag on the play.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

91. “It doesn’t matter to me what place I get traded to. If I was traded someplace – I’d play anywhere.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

92. “I don’t think a coach becomes the right coach until he wins a championship.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

93. “Teach players the game at an early age and stop treating them like cash cows for everyone to profit off of.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

94. “If I panic, everyone else panics.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

95. “I love the weather, I love my ’63 droptop Impala, I love the 405, and I love my guys.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

96. “It’s disgusting, but my father taught me when your mouth gets dry, just suck the sweat out of your own jersey. There’s no bravado to any of it; it’s just a disgusting little trick.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

97. “I’m chasing perfection.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

98. “Everybody shut up. Let us work.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

99. “I wanna be the best, simple and plain.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

100. “You always have to be on edge. You always have to take every practice, every game, like it is your last.” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

101. “My brain cannot process failure. It will not process failure” ~ (Kobe Bryant).

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Short Biography of Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant, an iconic figure in basketball, played for the Los Angeles Lakers throughout his 20-year career.

Renowned as one of the sport’s all-time greats, he bagged five NBA titles, was an 18-time All-Star, and earned numerous accolades, including the MVP title in 2008.

Full Name	Kobe Bean Bryant
Born	August 23, 1978, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died	January 26, 2020 (age 41 years), Calabasas, California, United States
Children	Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, Natalia Diamante Bryant
Playing career	1996–2016
Position	Shooting guard / small forward
Number	24 (Los Angeles Lakers / Small forward, Shooting guard), 8
Spouse	Vanessa Bryant (m. 2001–2020)
Parents	Joe Bryant, Pam Bryant
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	212 lb (96 kg)
High school	Lower Merion (Ardmore, Pennsylvania)
NBA draft	1996: 1st round, 13th overall pick Selected by the Charlotte Hornets

Born into a basketball family, Kobe’s talent was evident early on, leading him straight from high school to the NBA.

Despite a notable controversy in 2003, which affected his endorsements, Kobe’s legacy on the court remains unmatched.

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Quick Facts about Kobe Bryant

• Kobe Bryant was an American professional basketball player.
• He played as a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers for 20 years.
• Bryant is considered one of the greatest basketball players ever.
• He won 5 NBA championships and was an 18-time All-Star.
• Bryant was the 2008 NBA MVP and a two-time NBA Finals MVP.
• He led the NBA in scoring twice.
• Bryant is fourth in all-time regular season and postseason scoring.
• He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame posthumously in 2020.
• Bryant was born in Philadelphia and partly raised in Italy.
• He was the son of former NBA player Joe Bryant.
• Kobe entered the NBA directly from high school.
• He won the Slam Dunk Contest as a rookie.
• Bryant’s career was marred by a sexual assault accusation in 2003.
• He became the Lakers’ cornerstone after Shaquille O’Neal’s trade in 2004.
• Bryant scored 81 points in a game in 2006, the second-highest in NBA history.
• The Lakers retired both his jersey numbers, 8 and 24.
• He was the first guard to play 20 seasons in the NBA.
• Bryant gave himself the nickname “Black Mamba.”
• He won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S. team.
• Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash in 2020.
• Bryant started playing basketball at age three.
• His favorite team growing up was the Lakers.
• He learned to speak fluent Italian while living in Italy.
• Bryant was recognized nationally during his high school career.
• He declared for the NBA draft straight from high school.
• Bryant was traded to the Lakers from the Charlotte Hornets.
• He set numerous scoring records in the NBA.
• Bryant was known for his work ethic and dedication to basketball.
• He was involved in community and philanthropic efforts.
• Bryant’s legacy includes his impact both on and off the court.

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Top Questions about Kobe Bryant