Looking Back at Kobe Bryant's Visit on "The Corp" with Big Cat and Alex Rodriguez

Today's Pardon My Take was a little bit different than usual given yesterday's tragic news. Big Cat and PFT did a fantastic job encapsulating the career and life of Kobe Bryant, in addition to sharing personal anecdotes that stuck with them. Back in 2018, Big Cat and Hank had the unique opportunity to interview and meet the five-time NBA Champion and proud father of four on "The Corp" podcast with Alex Rodriguez. The moment after scoring 60 points in his final NBA game, Kobe didn't miss a beat, and it was business (no pun intended) as usual for No. 8/24:

Big Cat: I read a quote that said you love business as much as basketball. There's no way that's true.

Kobe Bryant: It's 100% true.

Big Cat: There's no way. I mean, basketball is your life, passion, everything. You're telling me you love doing business as much. If you could basically snap a finger and be 25-year-old Kobe or the Kobe today, you wouldn't go back and keep playing basketball?

Kobe Bryant: No, because I've already done it. See, here's the thing. When I was playing, and teammates would say, "Kobe's not out on the road, what is he doing?" You see me on the plane, "He's reading, what is he reading? He's writing, what is he writing?"

I'm practicing. I'm writing, I'm practicing, I'm understanding how to tell stories. I'm reading [literature professor] Joseph Campbell, how to create arcs, compelling arcs, and plots. I'm reading that stuff. This is going back 15 years, right. So, I don't just retire, write, "Dear Basketball," and luck into winning an Oscar. That stuff comes from hard work. I've been studying for 15 years how to write and how to organize structure, right? And you can't do that without having a serious love, commitment to the craft.

Like, I remember I said to someone, "If what I do in the next 20 years is not better than my last 20, then I failed." Then they're like, "That's disrespectful to what you've done the last 20 years!"

"My man, I wouldn't have accomplished what I accomplished over the last 20 years if I did not have this mentality to begin with."

I swear, most of Kobe's quotes are powerful enough that they need to be blown up in size 824 font and posted in locker rooms and classrooms worldwide. His way with words is just phenomenal.  And what he said is 100% true about the commitment to the craft. You don't just wake up or magically become gifted with the brains to write an Oscar-winning short film, or have the guts to nail big shot after big shot throughout the course of your NBA career. The practice leading up to those moments ensures that you are ready to go when the time comes. And that was one of Kobe's biggest mantra's. The extra hours on extra hours seem like a grind in the moment, but the time will come where you look back and it all becomes worth it.