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Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is an adherent of the Mamba Mentality.
While acknowledging their limited interpersonal connection, Antetokounmpo told The Athletic’s Eric Nehm he sees similarities between his mindset and that of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant:
“I will never say this, I will never disrespect the name of the great Kobe. I don’t like mentioning him. I feel like he should be mentioned, should never be forgotten. But I don’t like mentioning his name to bring attention to the conversation that we are about to have. I wasn’t close to him. I wasn’t this with him or that with him. But I would say this, in some areas of his mindset, I think we’re very similar.”
Like Michael Jordan before him, Bryant helped to set a template for how NBA stars can approach their craft. His intensity and single-minded focus didn’t make him the greatest teammate at times, but it undoubtedly helped him win five championships.
In the case of Antetokounmpo, the dedication to his game is evident in his NBA rise.
Nobody could have foreseen a 19-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game as a rookie, becoming a two-time MVP and one of the league’s 75 greatest players. Over time, the Greek Freak filled out and honed the rougher edges of his game to accentuate his physical gifts.
Now, the 27-year-old is in a position to lead by example, just as Bryant did as a player.
MarJon Beauchamp, the No. 24 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, explained how he watches Antetokounmpo’s approach and is “trying to be the same because I’m trying to be a great player.”
“He doesn’t talk to anyone,” Beauchamp said, per Nehm. “He just stays focused. He has the same habits, the same routine. He’s just locked in, I can tell by his face.”
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