"If I was to make any comparison in terms of what I witnessed with Kobe," Shaw told ESPN, "it's the work ethic once either one of those two sets their mind to something."
"'We were at shootaround,' Shaw said. 'And one of the reporters from Seattle says to him, 'Yeah, my daughter really loves your game, but she says if there's one thing missing, you don't have a 3-point shot.' Bryant turned to the reporter. He told him to make sure his daughter tuned in to the game that night. 'Then,' Shaw said, 'Kobe stayed there and just shot 3 after 3 after 3, from every spot on the floor.' That night, Bryant hit a then-NBA record dozen 3-pointers, motivated to, as Shaw said, 'do something that someone said he couldn't do.'"
Brian Shaw, one of the few people to both play with and coach Kobe Bryant, identifies a similarity between Kobe's mindset and Kawhi Leonard's recent play. Shaw highlights the shared elite work ethic when either player sets their mind to a goal. An early-career Kobe anecdote describes Kobe responding to a reporter's comment about his lack of a 3-point shot by practicing repeatedly and then making a then-NBA record dozen 3-pointers that night. Kawhi Leonard has shown a massive uptick in perimeter shooting and defensive activity, leading the league in scoring and steals since Dec. 20.
Read at ESPN.com
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