Comedian Kevin Hart shares moment he knew Kobe Bryant next level good
Diminutive comedian Kevin Hart has shared the moment Kobe Bryant destroyed his hopes of playing in the NBA.
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Kobe Bryant’s bittersweet admission to the NBA Hall of Fame has had plenty of reaction as the basketball world still mourns the legend’s death.
His passing in a helicopter crash in January that also claimed the life of his daughter Gianna and seven others may feel like forever ago amid the coronavirus crisis, but when he was named for the Hall of Fame, it has brought some of the strong emotions back up again.
The emotion was clear on the face of Bryant’s wife Vanessa when she, alongside daughter Natalia, were interviewed on ESPN when it was announced he’d been elected to the Hall of Fame.
"It's an incredible accomplishment and honour, and we're extremely proud of him," Vanessa said. "Obviously we wish that he was here with us to celebrate. But it's definitely the peak of his NBA career, and every accomplishment that he had as an athlete was a stepping stone to be here.
"We're incredibly proud of him, and there's some solace in knowing that he was probably going to be a part of the 2020 Hall of Fame class."
It seemed inevitable for Bryant, who had won five championships, two NBA finals MVPs, 2008 MVP and 18-time All-Star.
But others new greatness was near long before he stepped onto the NBA court for his remarkable 20 year career.
Hart took to Instagram to share a story of when he knew Kobe was special, and when his NBA dreams were dashed.
At a junior basketball camp in Philadelphia, coach Speedy Morris called the camp for not putting in the effort, with Kobe being pointed to as the only exception.
“Head coach of the basketball team at the time addressed the camp ‘I’m watching you guys show up every morning and I’ve got to say I’m not impressed’,” Hart said.
“‘I don’t feel like you campers are working hard enough. You guys need to get some work ethic. You need to show up here and want to become better. Look at Kobe Bryant; he shows up here every day and he works. Kobe Bryant hasn’t put the basketball in his right hand since he’s been in camp’.
“He’s here to only work on his left hand. Kobe Bryant approached the camp to only work on his left hand. He never shot the ball with his right hand. He never dribbled the ball with his right hand. Kobe Bryant played us left-handed. The opportunity that I thought was gonna be the biggest of my life turned out to be a goddamn practice pad for Kobe Bryant.
“The moments where I thought I was playing some of the hardest defence ever were moments where Kobe Bryant was just counting in his head, ‘one dribble, two dribble, three dribble, four …’”
It was then Hart knew Bryant was special — and without words, he was able to put the comedian in his place.
“The man was above and beyond the word ‘good’, he was great then, we didn’t even know he was practising on us until the head coach made us all feel stupid for not working as hard as he was,” Hart recalled. “Needless to say, that’s when my NBA dreams were shattered because one night I talked to Kobe and said ‘hey man, where do you thing I’m probably going to end up going – like D1-wise, where do you think I should go’. Kobe just looked at me and laughed and walked away.”
Hart said it was a “moment I’ll never forget”.
It was one of the best reactions to Bryant’s inevitable ascension to the Hall of Fame.
But the Lakers also paid tribute to the late legend.
“No amount of words can fully describe what Kobe Bryant meant to the Los Angeles Lakers,” Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss said. “Kobe was not only a proven winner and a champion, he gave everything he had to the game of basketball.
“His fierce competitiveness, work ethic and drive were unmatched. Those qualities helped Kobe lead us to five titles – and have now brought him to the Hall of Fame, where he will be enshrined with the greatest to have ever played the game. No one deserves it more.”
Similarly, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, who was also Bryant’s former manager and best friend, also said Kobe wasn’t one to toot his own horn.
“This one is so well deserved — for all the hard work, sweat and toil,” Pelinka said. “Now, a part of you will live in the Hall with the rest of the all-time greats, where your legend and spirit will continue to grow forever.”
Originally published as Comedian Kevin Hart shares moment he knew Kobe Bryant next level good