It is well known at this point in his career that Kobe Bryant is a freak in terms of his preparation and dedication to perfecting his craft. Kobe’s work ethic is second to none in the NBA and that always seems to amaze new players on the Los Angeles Lakers roster every single year.
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One player that is starting to witness Kobe’s greatness in practice is newcomer Wayne Ellington. The former North Carolina standout plays the same position as Kobe, but their style of play couldn’t be more different.
Ellington talked to Lakers reporter Mike Trudell about practicing with Kobe and what the experience has been like thus far. Ellington said the following about Kobe’s work ethic and how it inspires him:
“That’s tough to (explain). You don’t get to see everything that he does, because he does a lot of stuff on his own as well. We’re not around for it. You just kind of take after that. You look at him and you say, “Well, if one of the best players to ever do this — a Hall of Famer, five-time champion — is still continuing to work this hard every day, what am I doing? Why am I not? If he’s going this hard and I’m nowhere near on that level, then I should be going just as hard or harder.” So that’s the kind of mind frame it puts me in.”
At 36-years-old, Kobe continues to inspire his younger teammates with his drive to be the best in the game. Although it will only get tougher for Kobe to be among the league’s elite in the twilight of his career, the veteran guard isn’t holding anything back as he attempts to turn heads in the NBA in his 19th season.
As for Ellington, the 26-year-old guard will be fighting for a spot on the Lakers roster with five more preseason games to go. Ellington’s battles with Kobe in practice will only help his chances of making the roster as he improves his game in all aspects as a result of going up against the future Hall of Famer on a daily basis.
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