Exclusive: Norman Powell Reveals How Kobe Bryant Inspired Him

Kobe Bryant means everything to Norman Powell.

Norman Powell has proudly worn the number 24 on his jersey to honor Kobe Bryant throughout his entire NBA career. He leads the NBA in points off the bench, is third in points off the bench, and fifth in threes off the bench. He's known for his relentless work ethic and grind. What inspired him - Kobe Bryant.

"Kobe means everything to me," Powell said. Growing up, I really gravitated towards him because of his mentality. So, I used to spend hours watching his highlight videos, his interviews, just his message of mentality, hard work, being committed and dedicated to his craft really spoke to me. I embodied him and put it into my approach into the game mentality, all the work I put in."

Time and time again, Norman Powell posts videos and quotes of Kobe Bryant on his Instagram story. To him, it's a reminder and motivation to stay the course; to treat all negativity as an opportunity to grow. Norman Powell wasn't different from other young NBA fans that idolized Kobe Bryant in their youth, but he took those words into action.

"I listen to a lot of interviews and quotes," Powell said. "Just his approach to the game is still motivating to me to this day. My favorite one is, 'life is too short to get bogged down and discouraged, you have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep on rolling.' That one is my favorite. Also, 'everything negative, personal challenges, adversity, is all opportunity for me to rise.' Those are the two that I gravitate to towards the most."

Norman Powell's first season in the NBA was Kobe Bryant's last season. There was only one game when they both had the chance to play against each other, on December 7, 2015. It would have been a dream for Powell to play with Bryant, but he did have the opportunity to be mentored by Bryant at an invitation-only camp.

"I went to his invitation-only camp, the first one that he did before his passing," Powell said. "Where he invited 20-25 guys out to the Mamba facility in Thousand Oaks. I got the chance to talk him, he gave me game, he gave me advice, just the mental approach to the game in what he used and how he saw the game. He dissected my game down to the smallest details of my jab step. Getting guys off balance setting up attacks. It was definitely one of my favorite moments in my career."

The legacy of an NBA player extends far beyond what they do on the court. They inspire generations after them, give them knowledge, and make the development of skills become full circle. Even just quotes can inspire someone to become an NBA player, as they did for Norman Powell. That's what separates a good NBA player, from an icon. You want to be like them, emulate them, and make them proud.