Kobe Bryant Quotes

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

The hunger [to success] is the same, no matter what it is that you're doing. It's like an unquenchable thirst to learn more, or to feel like you could have done more, and to be brutally honest and self critical, which is very hard to do. It's easy, and human nature is to just blame somebody else. It's very, very hard to self assess. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

My brain ... it cannot process failure. It will not process failure. Because if I sit there and have to face myself and tell myself, 'You're a failure' ... I think that's almost worse than death. ~ Kobe Bryant

I'm just right down the middle, man, ... It doesn't matter to me. I'd love him (Phil Jackson) as a coach. It doesn't matter to me. If they want him here, he'll be here. If he wants to come, he'll come, he'll coach and we'll go from there. ~ Kobe Bryant

The best player I've ever played against is Kobe Bryant. I have seen him do some stuff that is just unbelievable. ~ Dirk Nowitzki

Losing Michael Jackson is a handicap. It's the Lakers trying to win a championship without Kobe Bryant. ~ Tito Jackson

Isn't the basis of a democracy to send somebody to Washington to bring something back for you? ... It isn't? ~ Kobe Bryant

You just try to take it one day at a time, ... You step on the basketball floor and just play. It's fun. I'm comfortable with it. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

Because we're old as sh*t. What do you want? ~ Kobe Bryant

Where are your balls at? ~ Kobe Bryant

I won't react to something just because I'm supposed to, because I'm an African-American ~ Kobe Bryant

It's not a question of if we make the playoffs; we will. And when we get there, I have no fear of anyone. ~ Kobe Bryant

I've played with IVs before, during and after games. I've played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don't miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn't that serious in the first place. ~ Kobe Bryant

I'm not the most patient of people. ~ Kobe Bryant

By eloquence I understand those appeals to our moral perceptions that produce emotion as soon as they are uttered. This is the very enthusiasm that is the parent of poetry. Let the same man go to his closet and clothe in numbers conceptions full of the same fire and spirit, and they will be poetry. ~ Kobe Bryant

I have self-doubt. I have insecurity. I have fear of failure. I have nights when I show up at the arena and I'm like, 'My back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt. I don't have it. I just want to chill.' We all have self-doubt. You don't deny it, but you also don't capitulate to it. You embrace it. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

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

At the end of 2003, my game was complete. Shooting, defense, using the dribble, transition, midrange stuff was all there. Then it was about fine-tuning and trying to improve in each area. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

I'm reflective only in the sense that I learn to move forward. I reflect with a purpose. ~ Kobe Bryant

I felt like when we came back from the All-Star break we needed everybody to feel like they were part of the team, ... I'm just trying to do whatever the team needs at any given time. ~ Kobe Bryant

We fly, not on the wings of eagles, but on the dreams of life. ~ Anthony T. Hincks

Sometimes I do wonder what college would have been like. But I made my decision. ~ Kobe Bryant

I've been watching Messi for some time now, and his ability to decide games and keep possession of the ball is amazing. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

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

I had some shots that I felt like I should've made; I just didn't make them. I'm not going to shoot the ball great every night. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

Kobe Bryant is my favorite basketball player. He takes risks. He goes for the shot. He isn't cautious with whatever he does. ~ Haley Joel Osment

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

I don't just try to score. The challenge is elevating my teammates to be able to win a championship. ~ Kobe Bryant

I've known for a long time that they're a bunch of idiots. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

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

I'm chasing perfection. ~ Kobe Bryant

Honestly, I don't listen to nobody else's music but my own. It's kind of like sports to me. You don't see Kobe Bryant at a LeBron James game - he just works on his own game. And that's what I do. I only listen to me, so I can criticize and analyze and all those things. ~ Lil' Wayne

Right now if you ask me Carmelo Anthony is GONE. He's going to L.A. to play w/Kobe Bryant. ~ Stephen A. Smith

Diligent accumulation of personal wealth is not inherently ungodly so long as it is complemented by equally diligent distribution of personal wealth. ~ Kobe Bryant

The thing that's most enjoyable to me is not actually beating someone [in the game]. It's the process of coming up with the blueprint of beating that I enjoy. That's a huge flip, so for me I enjoy building. I enjoy coming up. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

I'm playing against great players, playing against the best in the world. The competition-that's what I've always wanted. ~ Kobe Bryant

A lot of times things get blown out of proportion in a negative light, especially in the NBA, ... But there are a lot of players in the NBA who really care about the community and want to use their basketball-playing ability for a good cause. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

There is power in understanding the journey of others to help create your own ~ Kobe Bryant

I have my own identity ... The whole Michael thing does drive me nuts sometimes because people won't leave it alone. He's bald, I have hair. He's almost 40, I'm 22. Seriously though, I wish people would let it be and let me just be Kobe. ~ Kobe Bryant

Dropkick Murphys get me going, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana ... plus, all the regular hip-hop stuff. ~ Kobe Bryant

The best players are always in the thick of the action. (Michael) Jordan did it with the Bulls, (Kobe) Bryant does it with the Lakers and Leo does it here. We want him to stay with us because he's the best and we wouldn't swap him for anyone. ~ Ronaldinho

If you see me in a fight with a bear, pray for the bear ~ Kobe Bryant

I'm going to be the Will Smith of the NBA. ~ Kobe Bryant

I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber. ~ Kobe Bryant

I don't talk trash often, but when I do, I go for the jugular. ~ Kobe Bryant

In my 20s, I could just power through stuff and be fine, but now, in your 40s? It's kind of like Kobe Bryant. He plays basketball a little bit differently than he did when he first started out. ~ Daniel Wu

I draw from the crowd a lot. ~ Kobe Bryant

I love the weather, I love my '63 droptop Impala, I love the 405, and I love my guys. ~ Kobe Bryant

I love dudes who are about winning and that is Kobe Bryant ! ~ Stephen A. Smith

Magic has five championships. I have five championships. I'm pretty sure we both know what we're doing. ~ Kobe Bryant

You can't be held captive by the fear of failure or the fear of what people may say. ~ Kobe Bryant

I know how to play my guard spot, ... He can worry about the low post. ~ Kobe Bryant

Eeew, I'd be a little uncomfortable Googling myself. People sit there - and Google themselves? That's kind of weird. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

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

Sports are such a great teacher. I think of everything they've taught me: camaraderie, humility, how to resolve differences. ~ Kobe Bryant

I'm just so excited. We all are. We've been waiting for this [the gold medal] for years now and it's finally here. This meant so much. It just felt so good. ~ Kobe Bryant

If you're afraid to fail, then you're probably going to fail. ~ Kobe Bryant

Michael Jordan on his worst day is ten times better than Kobe Bryant on his best day ~ Reggie Miller

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

People just don't understand how obsessed I am with winning. ~ Kobe Bryant

I played T-Mac. I cooked him. Roasted him. Wasn't even close. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

Nobody in the world can guard me one-on-one, ~ Kobe Bryant

You have to be able to separate business from the love of the game. There were a lot of decisions made business-wise that I wasn't happy with, and I took a lot of blame over the years. But you have to be able to separate that from the love you have for the game. ~ Kobe Bryant

Are you willing to push the right buttons even if it means being perceived as the villain? ... I'd rather be perceived as a winner than a good teammate. I wish they both went hand in hand all the time but that's just not reality. ... I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. ~ Kobe Bryant

If you make it, great. If you miss it, what's there to be afraid of? ~ Kobe Bryant

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

The most important thing, the thing that unites all of us, is that we can INSPIRE and CHALLENGE one another TO BE BETTER. ~ Kobe Bryant

If you want to be a better player, you have to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. ~ Kobe Bryant

When you love something, you'll always come back to it. You'll always keep asking questions, and finding answers. ~ Kobe Bryant

He reminds me of Michael Jordan. "You look and they have similar games where they want to lead their team to victory, no matter if they have to shoot the ball every time or if they have to rebound or pass, they're going to find a way to win." I've always said that Kobe Bryant is the best scorer in our game today and he's definitely proving himself. ~ LeBron James

It doesn't matter to me what place I get traded to. If I was traded someplace - I'd play anywhere. ~ Kobe Bryant

There's a reason why players that have multiple championships have multiple championships. There's a certain characteristic and an understanding and knowledge and that's not something that's easily taught. You kind of have to go through it and it kind of has to be part of your DNA from the beginning. ~ Kobe Bryant

I didn't expect this award [the 2008 MVP] would come to me. I'm surprised. I've played pretty well in other seasons. Our team hasn't been as good. Things just fell into place. ~ Kobe Bryant

Everyone looks at your watch and it represents who you are, your values and your personal style. ~ Kobe Bryant

When I'm finished playing, I want people to say, 'He handled this well, he kept his cool.' ~ Kobe Bryant

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

I wanna be the best, simple and plain ~ Kobe Bryant

I'm a musician - I'm always making music. Kobe Bryant is always playing ball. Well, Snoop Dogg is always recording. ~ Snoop Dogg

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

I don't think a coach becomes the right coach until he wins a championship. ~ Kobe Bryant

I'm focused on the task that lies ahead for us. ~ Kobe Bryant

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

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

I've got four dogs, and I just don't do dog doo. I'm a diva when it comes to that. ~ Kobe Bryant

Heroes come and go, but legends are forever. ~ Kobe Bryant

What does perfection look like to me? Championship rings ~ Kobe Bryant

Thank god, I'm not from this world, ~ Kobe Bryant

Everything negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise. ~ Kobe Bryant

It's hard for me to grasp the concept of somebody being nervous when I'm talking to them. ~ Kobe Bryant