“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.”
One word to describe Kobe Bryant is a winner. To him, winning was not just a result of talent and hard work–it's a mentality that applies to everything you do.
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What separates winners from the rest of the pack is putting the team above themselves. The biggest stars and most successful players are usually the ones that excel at even the smallest tasks whether it be simply being a good teammate or carrying the team on their back in the face of adversity.
Talent and skill alone do not define a winner, it's the unmatched will to win and the sacrifices taken to bring out the best in others that creates champions. In order to achieve collective success you have to put the team above yourself and congratulate others even when you are struggling. These qualities make athletes like Kobe Bryant all time greats, and is something all athletes should be aware of and should seek to apply to their game.
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* Originally published on October 24, 2022, by Dylan Tehada
