Five rings, two Finals MVPs, eighteen All-Star nods. But numbers don’t define Kobe Bryant. They just trace the outline of a force of nature. The man didn’t play basketball; he weaponized it. With his unshakable footwork, cold-blooded clutch, and a work ethic that bordered on insanity. Then he rewrote the script. Oscar winner, storyteller, girl dad who turned his passion into a crusade for women’s hoops. Mamba Mentality wasn’t just a slogan. His DNA still lives in every fadeaway.
However, Kobe Bryant wasn’t handed all of this on a platter. During his initial years, the critics called him a MJ wannabe. Early in his career, every spin move, every fadeaway, even his killer glare drew comparisons to His Airness. But here’s what the critics missed. Imitation is just the first step of evolution. But by the time he dropped 81 points or nailed game-winners with that cold-blooded stare, the narrative had flipped. One such critic had also not seen it coming, the face of AND1, the streetball sensation, Grayson Boucher.
In a podcast on Byron Scott’s Breakfast, Grayson “The Professor” Boucher opened up about his feeling towards Kobe Bryant. Upon being asked “I think you rock his shoes too right”, The Professor said “yeah you know what’s funny is I actually wasn’t a Kobe fan I was a Jordan fan.” This line reveals that, just like many others, Grayson too loved the established legend over a rookie who had just showed up. But he revealed something more. He said “so like when Kobe first came in right there was a narrative of a lot of people were like “Oh you just trying to be like Jordan you like Jordan.”” It clearly tells us how Kobe wasn’t just some rookie with potential, people thought of him as an imitator of Michael Jordan.
December 19, 1997, Chicago, Illinois, USA: MICHAEL JORDAN and KOBE BRYANT look on during free throws during a Chicago Bulls vs LA Lakers game at the United Center on Dec. 19, 1997 in Chicago. Chicago USA – ZUMAm67_ 19971219_zah_m67_943 Copyright: xPhilxValesquez/ChicagoxTribunex
However he went on to say “You know what I mean but um but over time you had to respect it right cuz even Jordan fans had to be a little scared when Kobe was going.” Explaining that it didn’t stay like that forever, and Kobe Bryant eventually found a place in critics’ hearts, by building terror. He further told “you were like “Man this this dude is like that.” Um so yeah over time I just learned to respect it and then like living in LA I sat court side watched Kobe play two or three times and like I said then we met for a second it was just developed a whole new respect.” The shift of opinions spread over on Boucher too.
Later he was finally able to admit “now like I wouldn’t have rocked the shoes back then. But now I only rock his shoes. I was late to the party like them Kobe shoes are so good performance-wise um I only hoop in the in the Kobe so man…” This anecdote really is proof enough of how Kobe made his way through every obstacle and sealed a spot in people’s hearts. His legacy lives on through the Mamba Mentality and Nike’s Mamba Collection.
Grayson “Professor” Boucher’s Initial Encounter with Kobe Bryant
From not being a Kobe fan to building respect towards him, Grayson Boucher has come a long way. In the same interview, Grayson shared a memorable story of when he actually met Kobe Bryant back in 2009. Here’s how it went down, in his exact words: “I met Kobe one time in 2009… it was like a Panini basketball card shoot but it was in Irvine,” Boucher recalled. He was working with kids at what seemed like a clinic when he got word Kobe would be stopping by. “I was hyped… I thought it was cool.”
But here’s where it gets painfully relatable: “You know when you’re young you don’t appreciate the moments, right?” Boucher admitted regretting that he didn’t live that moment to his fullest. “My whole AND1 run was like that… I met every celebrity, every NBA player… just everything was really fast and surreal.” He admitted “I was trying to be too cool… like we had some stupid… we were talking about the Blazers cuz I was from Oregon, which is like I don’t even care about the Blazers.” The regret hit him really hard: “I would have asked him about like hey what do you think of this move… I would’ve dug in more.”
The anecdote was followed by revelation: “Kobe was an AND1 fan too… there’s footage of him playing in a mall in the Philippines… he was doing streetball moves he never did in the NBA.” The missed opportunity stings him to this day. This isn’t some polished legend, it’s the human side of basketball we rarely see. The Professor meeting Kobe should’ve been fireworks. Instead? It was a blurry moment he now wishes he could replay. That’s the real lesson to recognize moments before they are gone.
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