Kobe Bryant and Great White Sharks

The Predator’s Mindset

“If you want to be great at something, you have to obsess over it.” – Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant’s talent mixed with a relentless obsession for learning helped him be an unstoppable force throughout his storied Hall of Fame career. He studied the game like a scientist and hunted for lessons in places others overlooked. Whenever he faced adversity or felt slighted by an opponent, he didn’t just respond; he elevated his game.

March 19^th, 1999, was a perfect example. Kobe got a wake-up call.

Allen Iverson torched him for 41 points. The young guard was fast and unpredictable, and Kobe took it personally. He not only wanted to defend and stop Iverson, but he also wanted to understand him. So Kobe started studying everything about Iverson: His games, his tendencies, his moves. But Kobe didn’t stop there.

He went deeper. He asked himself, “What else moves like Iverson?” That’s when he landed on an unexpected answer: Great white sharks.

Kobe studied how these massive predators hunt seals off the coast of South Africa and drew inspiration from their hunting tactics. He discovered a key revelation: Sharks don’t chase. They cut off angles, anticipate movement, and strike with precision and patience. So Kobe adjusted. He didn’t try to match Iverson’s speed. Instead, he mirrored his movement and played the angles game.

Kobe’s lateral thinking enabled him to find new answers for his problems and become an apex predator in the NBA. In his 2017 Player’s Tribune post, he concluded by sending a message to Iverson and other competitors:

“I swore, from that point on, to approach every matchup as a matter of life and death. No one was going to have that kind of control over my focus ever again. I will choose who I want to target and lock in. I will choose whether or not your goals for the upcoming season compromise where I want to be in 20 years. If they don’t, happy hunting to you. But if they do…I will hunt you obsessively. It’s only natural.”

The Medici Effect

Kobe’s exploration of apex predators offers a valuable reminder: If you only learn from the world you’re in, you’ll only get as good as the people in it. But if you look beyond it? You can unlock fresh strategies and gain unique perspectives that can help you develop the ultimate competitive edge.

Kobe’s approach is a prime example of The Medici Effect—a concept that highlights how breakthroughs happen at the intersection of different disciplines and industries. During the Renaissance, the Medici family brought together experts from diverse fields (e.g. artists, scientists, architects) who, by working alongside each other, produced groundbreaking innovations.

Why is this powerful? High performers are always searching for an edge and sometimes it doesn’t come from them working harder. Sometimes it’s about thinking wider. In essence, high performers “borrow brilliance” when they study other disciplines.

Most of the time the best ideas already exist, but you have to know where to find them and be willing to innovate by exploring uncharted waters.

Borrowing Brilliance

Here’s a fun way to apply this concept with your athletes: Ask them to create their “optimal mindset” by borrowing qualities from different arenas. If they could construct the ultimate competitor, what mental traits would they take—and from where?

For example,

• The patience of a marathon runner

• The presence of a big wave surfer

• The composure of an astronaut on a space walk

• The resilience of a Navy SEAL

What arenas would you borrow from to enhance your mindset?

What qualities from other disciplines could help you elevate your performance?

Once you’ve asked your players to reflect on these questions, challenge them to study one of these disciplines and apply what they learn.

Final Thoughts

Kobe didn’t just study basketball. He studied winning. He looked for lessons and inspiration from everywhere (e.g. the court, books, even in the ocean). The best coaches and athletes do the same. If you want to grow, don’t just look where everyone else is looking.

Inspiration for This Piece:

• Kobe Bryant’s Players Tribune Article — https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/kobe-bryant-allen-iverson-obsession-is-natural