Long before he became an NBA champion and multiple-time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo remembers one of the most defining moments of that learning process came during a private workout with Kobe Bryant near the end of Bryant’s career, a session Antetokounmpo still remembers in vivid detail.
“I had my notebook because I was younger back then, I was probably 22 years-old,” Antetokounmpo said speaking on The Thanalysis Show. “Text him, I said, ‘Hey, where is the gym?’ He texted me and I said OK. So, I land on the same day that we’re working out. I land at like 7 a.m., got there and all of a sudden I’m like what am I going to do, what am I going to do? I don’t have a hotel room, I’m not going to spend money for a hotel room, I’m going to go straight to the gym. Our workout was at like 10:30, so I got to the gym, 8 a.m., I had my physio with me. I was like, OK let’s warm up and then warmed up for like 30 minutes and he told me, he said, ‘What are we going to do now?’ I said, ‘We’re just going to wait.’ He comes in and brother, I’m not even exaggerating, I’m not. He’s walking towards me, he’s glowing. Bro, I’m not exaggerating, he’s walking slow motion. Man, we’re talking about aura, we’re talking about ultimate aura, like I’m starstruck. I don’t even know what I’m going to say. So he’s walking to me and he’s like, “Hey, big fella. How are you doing?’ He said, ‘You ready to work out?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I’m ready.’ I have my notebook with me, we were working out, working out and then he told me, ‘Go right, make some shots.’ I made five like usually you make five and go to the next spot. He goes, ‘Five? Make 20.’ I said, ‘What you mean 20?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, you make 20, until you can’t shoot no more.’ Then I’m not going to talk about the workout a lot, but arguably one of the greatest moments with a legend, with a goat was with Kobe Bryant.’”
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