10 Things We Learned From the Kobe Bryant Interview

NBA superstar had revealing sit-down with Ahmad Rashad.

Kobe Bryant Had a Revealing Interview on NBA TV - Kobe Bryant shared thoughts on constantly persevering through injury, Michael Jordan, how "leadership is lonely," and the players he admires during a one-on-one interview with Ahmad Rashad for NBA TV on Monday night. BET.com took note about 10 things we learned from watching the Black Mamba's interview. Future Hall of Famer!(Photo: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

1 / 11

Kobe Bryant Had a Revealing Interview on NBA TV - Kobe Bryant shared thoughts on constantly persevering through injury, Michael Jordan, how "leadership is lonely," and the players he admires during a one-on-one interview with Ahmad Rashad for NBA TV on Monday night. BET.com took note about 10 things we learned from watching the Black Mamba's interview. Future Hall of Famer!(Photo: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Kobe Bryant Played With a Torn Rotator Cuff for a Long Time - During his one-on-one with Ahmad Rashad on NBA TV, Kobe Bryant revealed that he had actually been playing with a torn rotator cuff for a long time, before completely tearing it last month during the Los Angeles Lakers-New Orleans Pelicans game. Tough dude. (Photo: Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

2 / 11

Kobe Bryant Played With a Torn Rotator Cuff for a Long Time - During his one-on-one with Ahmad Rashad on NBA TV, Kobe Bryant revealed that he had actually been playing with a torn rotator cuff for a long time, before completely tearing it last month during the Los Angeles Lakers-New Orleans Pelicans game. Tough dude. (Photo: Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Seriously Had Doubts About Returning From Ruptured Achilles - As strong-minded as the Black Mamba is, even he had doubts about returning from the ruptures Achilles' tendon in April 2013. The five-time NBA champion was brutally honest in revealing that he had days where he thought he wouldn't make it back, but that he did what he had to do and continues that today. (Photo: Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

3 / 11

Seriously Had Doubts About Returning From Ruptured Achilles - As strong-minded as the Black Mamba is, even he had doubts about returning from the ruptures Achilles' tendon in April 2013. The five-time NBA champion was brutally honest in revealing that he had days where he thought he wouldn't make it back, but that he did what he had to do and continues that today. (Photo: Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Michael Jordan's Technique Was Flawless - "His technique was flawless. I wanted to make sure my technique was just as flawless," Kobe said about Michael Jordan. During the interview, he also revealed that he did play one-on-one with MJ during a Los Angeles Lakers practice years ago and how Jordan loved that Kobe didn't back down. (Photo: Vince Bucci/AFP/Getty Images)

4 / 11

Michael Jordan's Technique Was Flawless - "His technique was flawless. I wanted to make sure my technique was just as flawless," Kobe said about Michael Jordan. During the interview, he also revealed that he did play one-on-one with MJ during a Los Angeles Lakers practice years ago and how Jordan loved that Kobe didn't back down. (Photo: Vince Bucci/AFP/Getty Images)

Russell Westbrook Plays With the Same Passion - When asked if there's a player in today's NBA who plays with similar passion, Kobe gave the nod to Russell Westbrook. "Westbrook plays mean, mean like I did," Bryant said of the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard. We see it. (Photo: Joe Robbins/Getty Images) 

5 / 11

Russell Westbrook Plays With the Same Passion - When asked if there's a player in today's NBA who plays with similar passion, Kobe gave the nod to Russell Westbrook. "Westbrook plays mean, mean like I did," Bryant said of the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard. We see it. (Photo: Joe Robbins/Getty Images) 

ADVERTISEMENT
Phil Jackson Taught Him Spirituality, Mindfulness - Kobe Bryant won five NBA championships with the Phil Jackson-led Los Angeles Lakers, but the hoops superstar learned a lot more from the Zen Master. "I learned spirituality and the mindfulness that comes with the game," Bryant said of Jackson's teachings. Bryant also credited Jackson for helping him to understand a deeper meaning to basketball. (Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

6 / 11

Phil Jackson Taught Him Spirituality, Mindfulness - Kobe Bryant won five NBA championships with the Phil Jackson-led Los Angeles Lakers, but the hoops superstar learned a lot more from the Zen Master. "I learned spirituality and the mindfulness that comes with the game," Bryant said of Jackson's teachings. Bryant also credited Jackson for helping him to understand a deeper meaning to basketball. (Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Cold-Called Tex Winter in 1999 - Yearning to learn more about the game and the vaunted triangle offense, Kobe revealed that he cold-called famed assistant coach Tex Winter in 1999 and talked to him for an hour about the triangle offense. He also said that he refers to Winter as Yoda. "We'd sit together and watch film of every game," Bryant said of he and Winter, the architect of the triangle offense. "We'd watch the game from start to finish...every game." After years of being an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls under Phil Jackson, Winter later joined Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers as well.  (Photo: Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

7 / 11

Cold-Called Tex Winter in 1999 - Yearning to learn more about the game and the vaunted triangle offense, Kobe revealed that he cold-called famed assistant coach Tex Winter in 1999 and talked to him for an hour about the triangle offense. He also said that he refers to Winter as Yoda. "We'd sit together and watch film of every game," Bryant said of he and Winter, the architect of the triangle offense. "We'd watch the game from start to finish...every game." After years of being an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls under Phil Jackson, Winter later joined Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers as well.  (Photo: Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

'Leadership Is Lonely' - Kobe said leading a team and getting guys on the same page has been and continues to be the toughest challenge of his NBA career, adding that  "Leadership is lonely...but that's fine." He continued to state that he isn't afraid of confrontation to make someone better, using the analogy of sitting at a dinner with someone and not being afraid to tell them that they have something between their teeth. "I'm going to tell you you have something in your teeth," Bryant said. Tell it like it is, Kobe! (Photo: Harry How/Getty Images)

8 / 11

'Leadership Is Lonely' - Kobe said leading a team and getting guys on the same page has been and continues to be the toughest challenge of his NBA career, adding that  "Leadership is lonely...but that's fine." He continued to state that he isn't afraid of confrontation to make someone better, using the analogy of sitting at a dinner with someone and not being afraid to tell them that they have something between their teeth. "I'm going to tell you you have something in your teeth," Bryant said. Tell it like it is, Kobe! (Photo: Harry How/Getty Images)

List of Players He Admires - When asked about the players he admires, Kobe rattled off a laundry list, which spanned multiple generations of great ballers including John Stockton, Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James Harden and Klay Thompson.(Photos from left: Andy Lyons/Allsport, Andy Lyons/Getty Images, Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

9 / 11

List of Players He Admires - When asked about the players he admires, Kobe rattled off a laundry list, which spanned multiple generations of great ballers including John Stockton, Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James Harden and Klay Thompson.(Photos from left: Andy Lyons/Allsport, Andy Lyons/Getty Images, Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Thoughts on All the Titles He Has Won - In a classic Kobe-competitive moment, the hoops living legend was asked to reflect on the five titles that he has won. In classic Kobe fashion, he responded: "I should have had seven...the Detroit one got away, the Celtics [one] got away." Bryant was referring to the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA Finals losses to the Pistons and Boston in 2004 and 2008, respectively. (Photo: Noel Vasquez/Getty Images) 

10 / 11

Thoughts on All the Titles He Has Won - In a classic Kobe-competitive moment, the hoops living legend was asked to reflect on the five titles that he has won. In classic Kobe fashion, he responded: "I should have had seven...the Detroit one got away, the Celtics [one] got away." Bryant was referring to the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA Finals losses to the Pistons and Boston in 2004 and 2008, respectively. (Photo: Noel Vasquez/Getty Images) 

The Process, Challenge of Returning Keeps Him Hungry - Unsurprisingly, Kobe shared that the process and challenge of constantly coming back and proving that he can still play keeps him hungry. This rotator cuff tear marked Bryant's third consecutive season-ending injury and we already know the Black Mamba isn't going to go out like that. Greatness personified.  (Photo: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

11 / 11

The Process, Challenge of Returning Keeps Him Hungry - Unsurprisingly, Kobe shared that the process and challenge of constantly coming back and proving that he can still play keeps him hungry. This rotator cuff tear marked Bryant's third consecutive season-ending injury and we already know the Black Mamba isn't going to go out like that. Greatness personified.  (Photo: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)