It was settling for mediocrity that the late Kobe Bryant hated more than anything! While he did not settle for mediocre things in life, he did not want those around him to settle for the same. All the stories about the ‘Black Mamba’ pushing himself and his teammates are a testament to this. Stephen A. Smith’s recent recollection of a discussion about the Oprah Winfrey Show with the late LA Lakers icon reflects that his ‘Mamba Mentality’ was not limited just to the court.

Appearing on the ‘Bloomberg Originals’, Smith recalled his interview with Kobe Bryant on ESPN’s ‘Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith’. The 56-year-old recollected telling ‘Black Mamba’ back then that people told him he’d be like Oprah. And Kobe’s response to that is something Steven A. Smith recollected profoundly. “And his [Kobe’s] exact words was, ‘F Oprah. Harpo (Productions). I don’t wanna hear Oprah again. You insult her… when you say Oprah. Harpo. She owns the Oprah Winfrey Show. She owns her own brand. That’s what I want for you one day’,” said Smith.

It is evident that the Lakers legend wanted Smith to be the best possible version of himself and this is what ‘Mamba Mentality’ was all about – to be the best version of oneself, constantly raising the bar. Kobe Bryant’s statement on Oprah Winfrey shows how much respect he had for the billionaire TV star. He held her in high regard for what she had done with her production company, Harpo. In fact, Steven A. Smith commented on Kobe’s respect for Oprah in an episode of his ‘Stephen A. Smith Show’ in 2023. “He [Kobe] revered Oprah Winfrey, and he was talking about you’re disrespecting her by just calling her Oprah…,” said Smith.

Notably, Harpo is Oprah spelled backwards and Harpo Productions is a multimedia production company founded by Oprah Winfrey that produces her own show. And Kobe Bryant respected Winfrey for owning and operating her own show. Did you know that Kobe once dialed Oprah for advise?

The time when Kobe Bryant called Oprah Winfrey to discuss ‘Harpo’

After his retirement in 2016, Kobe came up with his production company, which he named Granity Studios. And when he was trying to grow his company, he had reached out to Winfrey for advise.  He told CNBC in 2016 that he called Oprah Winfrey to learn from her experiences with Harpo Productions.

“When I had the idea of first starting a studio, the first person I called was Oprah Winfrey. We sat on the phone for about an hour and a half, two hours — went through the history of building Harpo and the things that she felt she did well and the things she felt like she didn’t do so well,” Kobe told CNBC.

Trending

“I Can Be Replaced”: Shaq Drops Cryptic Note Online As Absence From TNT Live Show Confuses America

May 20, 2024 01:32 AM EDT

Shaquille O’Neal, Tempted by Elon Musk’s Tesla Creation, Offers $159,999 Worth Trade to 30YO Comedian

May 19, 2024 06:38 AM EDT

“Jordan Slipping Him Cash”: Fans Join In as Magic Johnson Slams Stephen A. Smith for Leaving Isiah Thomas Out of His List

May 18, 2024 03:30 PM EDT

Exclusive: Shaquille O’Neal Breaks Silence on Nikola Jokic Controversy After Ex-Agent’s Big Claim

May 18, 2024 09:16 PM EDT

Angel Reese Rejuvenates Allen Iverson’s Legacy Through Ties With $2.5 Billion Worth Brand

May 18, 2024 03:28 AM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

He further stated that Winfrey walked him through her journey to help him understand the intricacies involved in the business. This is one of many such instances that shows the amount of respect Kobe had for Oprah. Kobe was indeed an extraordinary individual. His ‘mamba mentality’ will be passed on for generations to come and run wild among his followers forever!