The Mamba Mentality: How I Play

The foreword to The Mamba Mentality is written by Pau Gasol, who was Bryant’s teammate on the Los Angeles Lakers from 2008-2014. When Gasol was traded to the Lakers, Bryant contacted him immediately, wanting to meet. Although it was after one o’clock in the morning when Gasol checked into the hotel where the rest of the Lakers were staying, Bryant came to Gasol’s room to welcome him to the team and talk strategy and philosophy. This gesture set the tone for their collaborative relationship, and left a profound impression on Gasol, who describes Bryant as the most devoted, insightful, and analytical basketball player Gasol has ever known. Most remarkable to Gasol were the seemingly limitless energy and unwavering focus with which Bryant remained on task and immersed in not only game play, but in the explication of the components of basketball which informed his approach. Gasol was particularly impressed with the amount of time that Bryant allocated to game tape analysis, practice, drills, exercising, and physical therapy; Bryant consistently devoted additional hours above and beyond the time commitments of his teammates. Gasol expresses his gratitude for all that he learned from his friend and mentor over the years that they played together.