Lakers Memories: Chris Bosh Tells a Kobe Bryant Story During His Hall of Fame Speech

Chris Bosh used this story to fuel himself towards his own excellence.

In one of the most heartfelt speeches for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Chris Bosh talked in length for almost 20 minutes ranging from his upbringing to the 27-game winning streak in Miami.

During the beginning of his speech, the 11-time All Star paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant, making sure to spend some time talking about Bryant’s work ethic. Bosh reminisced during the onset of Team USA training camp, in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“It was 2008, the Redeem Team was formed. We were in Vegas for the start of training camp and we’re getting ready for the Olympics in Beijing. I wanted to establish myself as a young leader on the team by waking up bright and early [on] day one. So the goal was to be the first one at breakfast. I set my alarm, I make sure I’m up by sunrise, I get out of bed, I put on my gear and I head downstairs…but when I get there, Kobe is already there with ice packs on his knees, drenched in sweat.”

It has been well documented how the Black Mamba’s work ethic has exceeded the rest of his competition. Bosh saw this as a lesson that he applied for himself, to always use disappointments to build on success.

“It took me a minute to figure it out, but this guy was not only awake before me, he had already worked out. He had just played in the Finals days earlier, meanwhile I've been off for months and I was still exhausted. What he did that day was incomprehensible to me...that dedication he had only days after falling short of an NBA championship, that taught me something I have never forgotten: legends aren’t defined by their successes, they are defined by how they bounce back from their failures.”

When the Dallas Mavericks ripped off four consecutive wins in the Finals to upset the Heat, Bosh was seen crying uncontrollably while leaving the arena after the series. Along with LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, they returned the following season with a vengeance and went on to win back-to-back titles, cementing their own legacies.

The late Bryant may no longer be with us, but tributes and stories like this will forever be told that live beyond all our lifetimes.