Episode Details

What I learned from reading Showboat: The Life of Kobe Bryant by Roland Lazenby.  

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Founders Notes gives you the superpower to learn from history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. You can search all my notes and highlights from every book I've ever read for the podcast. Get access to Founders Notes here. 

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[9:15] Notes from The Redeem Team documentary:

30 seconds into the first practice Kobe is diving for loose balls. That set the tone.

Players go clubbing. Come back at 5:30am and see Kobe working out. "This motherfucker Kobe was already drenched in sweat. Yeah he’s different"— LeBron James. By the end of the week the whole team was on Kobe’s schedule.

Understand the responsibility. I know I’m not going to fucking lose. I am not going to fucking lose. Not when I’m wearing this (team USA jersey) and not at this time in my career. You’re going to have to fucking shoot me. That’s how I want you to play. — Coach K

At one point you will have a grandkid on your lap and they will ask you weren’t you in the Olympics ? What did you do? You wanna say: Well son, we lost to that fucking Greek team? —Coach K

When you’re in the Olympic village you're around people who are the best in the world at what they do. That is more special that celebrities in LA because this is athlete to athlete — I understand what they put their body through to get here. There’s so much respect and mutual admiration. —Kobe

What Kobe told team USA going into the 4th quarter: Just think about the play in front of you.

[12:07] At every turn his declarations of future greatness have been met with head shaking and raised eyebrows.

[14:33]  It's almost like Kobe's insane level of dedication was like compensation for the bad decision making of his father.

[15:15] 4 parts to Kobe’s blueprint:

Master the fundamentals

Improve your weaknesses

Study the greats

Concentrate

[15:12] Listening to Founders is like watching game tape of history's greatest entrepreneurs.

[15:40] I used to watch their moves and then I'd add them to my game. It was the beginning of a career-long focus on studying game recordings.

[15:48] He would invest long hours each day in breaking down his own performances and those of opponents— far more than what any other NBA player would ever contemplate undertaking.

[17:08] Jay Z’ autobiography: Decoded by Jay Z.  (Founders #238)

[21:22] If you’re not good, Jeff will chew you up and spit you out. And if you’re good, he will jump on your back and ride you into the ground. —The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone. (Founders #179)

[21:58] If you're breaking down tape of Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan and so many other greats, you come to consider them your teachers.

[22:39] Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight. (Founders #186)

[23:00] Jordan and Knight certainly shared a competitive nature that bordered on insanity, Moore added. "If you think Jordan and Kobe are competitive, go meet Phil Knight. He's a no bullshit competitor. It's, 'You play for me or I can't stand you, I will kill you.' That's Phil Knight, full stop. And he's not shy about it.”

[29:30]  He studied the game harder than anyone else has ever studied the game.

[30:00] One day just before practice, the team was informed that it couldn't have the gym due to flooding.

“This is bullshit!” he screamed, slamming a ball off the floor. “This is bullshit! We got practice, I want to practice. Th