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On Monday night (Feb. 16), basketball fans watched what’s arguably the most revealing discussion with Kobe Bryant to date via The Interview.

Bryant sat with athlete-turned-sports journalist Ahmad Rashad, resulting in an in-depth look at what makes one of the most talented, yet polarizing players in NBA history tick. More than anything, the future NBA Hall of Famer gives numerous jewels during the interview that shows exactly why he’s in the argument for the GOAT (greatest of all time).

Hit the jump to see some quotables from Bryant’s interview. Peep the full discussion below.

via Mr. World Premiere

Photo: YouTube

 

“A sense of purpose was there ever since I was a kid. I felt like I knew what God put me on this Earth to do, and that’s to play basketball.”

 

“It doesn’t matter if I’m sick. It doesn’t matter if I have a sprained ankle. The kid sitting in there might be the next me sitting up there watching, trying to get inspiration from that. I need to go out there and play.

 

“You look at some of the great players that ever played. Look at the Michaels of the world. Jerry West. Oscar Robinson. Magic. Bird. All great players in their own right, all different levels of physical ability. So for me to look at where I am now and say I don’t have the physical ability that I had back then, doesn’t mean I can’t still be a dominant or a great player.

 

“I’m going to do what I always do. Just break everything down to its smallest form, its smallest detail, and go after it day by day. Just one day at a time.”

 

“I want more [Laughs]. I want more. Where can I learn more?”

 

Kobe Bryant's fadeaway

photo: WENN

“Some said I couldn’t [lead] for whatever reason, but I knew the truth of it. I think Shaq knew the truth of the situation. I wasn’t some sidekick. You seen me everyday, and you know what I’m about.”

 

 

“When you win, you don’t want to let that go. It doesn’t turn off the work. It doesn’t turn off the competitive spirit; it turns it up. Then you wind up becoming more maniacal, more obsessed, because you don’t want somebody else having that feeling.”

 

“Understand that the time is going to come. Why? Because I’m going to keep banging on this door until it comes.”

 

“Leadership is lonely, but that’s fine.”

 

“The things that I want to do to be a great basketball player, that takes up a great amount of my time. It takes a lot of time to be a great friend or to be social. That’s time I just wasn’t willing to give.”

 

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