Former Lakers Champ Reveals How Kobe Bryant Motivated His Growth After Epic Finals Fail

The L.A. Hall of Famer was great at lifting his teammates up after the Shaquille O'Neal split.

Mar 17, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) goes through the lane and is fouled by New Orleans Hornets power forward Carl Landry (24) as New Orleans Hornets small forward Trevor Ariza (1) also defends during the second half of game one of the first round of the 2011 NBA playoffs at the at Staples Center. Hornets won 109-100. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Kobe Bryant was not only known for his incredible talent and relentless work ethic but also for his ability to elevate those around him. An example of this influence was his mentorship of Trevor Ariza, particularly after the Lakers' disappointing loss in the 2008 NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics. Though Ariza was a talented player, the defeat was a defining moment in his career, and Bryant's guidance during that period played a pivotal role in Ariza’s growth as a player.

In November 2007, Ariza was acquired by the Los Angeles Lakers in a trade that involved Brian Cook and Maurice Evans. In January 2008, he sustained a fracture in a bone in his right foot, however, he made a comeback during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in late May, scoring a basket within his first minute on the court. The Lakers subsequently defeated the Spurs in five games, earning a spot in the 2008 NBA Finals, where they ultimately loss to the Boston Celtics in six games.

During an episode of the "Iman Amongst Men" podcast, former NBA guard (and Cleveland Cavaliers-era championship LeBron James teammate) Iman Shumpert engaged in a conversation with Ariza, who articulated the main lesson he learned from competing with the greatest Laker in franchise history.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted)

"The biggest lesson is, when you line up against him, just know he's gonna try to kill you every second he's in front of you, right? So, knowing that, you don't give anybody else an opportunity to get at you that way. You always have to be on guard. You always have to be prepared. You always have to be thinking two plays ahead of the game before the play actually happens," Ariza said.

"While you're in the action, paying attention to what's going on, you have to understand what's going to happen on the next play, and the play after that. That's one thing I learned from him—he was always thinking ahead, two plays down the line," Ariza continued.

The lessons that Bryant instilled in Ariza helped them win a championship together against the Orlando Magic in 2009. Every player in the NBA is physically talented, but the mental aspect of the game is what sets them apart. Kobe was the definition of mental fortitude as he was always playing basketball like a tactician.

"He's like a boxer trying to set traps. He's setting traps early in the game, like three plays before. So, when you get to the seventh or eighth round, he's already set the trap. He knows where you're going to be, and he's like, 'Okay, I got you where I want you. I know what you're going to do in this situation,'" the veteran swingman added.

More News: Lakers Could Surprisingly Make Reclamation Project Key Rotation Piece