That was 26 years ago now. On May 12, 1997, the Lakers are on the verge of elimination, in the conference semi-finals against the Jazz. Led 3-1, the Californians cling and they can even bring down John Stockton and Karl Malone, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
But Robert Horry was ejected for going after Jeff Hornacek and Shaquille O’Neal was out for six fouls. Suddenly, coach Del Harris had to rely on a rookie for the winning shot. At only 18 years old, the one who is not yet the “Black Mamba” tries to eliminate Bryon Russell and shoots…
A year later, Michael Jordan will return to legend in an almost identical situation. But Kobe Bryant completely misses the circle: “air ball”.
Direction the extension for the two franchises and, while his teammates seem petrified by the issue, the 13th choice of the 1996 Draft chained the shots from afar, in order to avoid the elimination of his own. The kid has courage, but he multiplies the “air balls” and Los Angeles leave the stage by the small door…
” This is something that I find difficult to understand. This rookie, Kobe Bryant, chained four ‘air balls’ and Del Harris continued to rely on him in those moments. And he didn’t answer “, declared Ron Boone, the commentator of Jazz.
Jerry West: ‘I really think this is the defining moment of his career’
This episode could have destroyed the one who was just emerging from adolescence. Some have never really recovered from similar situations. Except that Kobe Bryant already has this desire to be the hero, this confidence that the immense champions need to think that they cannot miss anything, this feeling that his destiny is exceptional.
So, instead of dwelling on this failure, the future Hall of Famer returns to training the next day and spends the summer working on his shot.
” I really think this is the defining moment of his career », recently explained Jerry West, the GM of the Lakers at the time. ” You know why ? Because if a guy had shot an ‘air ball’ in this team, then a second, he wouldn’t have taken a third. But he was not afraid. And I think that’s one of the things that brought him to excellence. He didn’t allow himself to fail. Despite all the negative comments and criticism on Del Harris, for leaving him in the field, I thank him for doing it, when no one wanted to play or even fight. No one wanted to take three shots on this team, but [Kobe Bryant] did it. And I guarantee you, the next year, when he came back after the summer, he was a different person. He didn’t want it to happen again. »
At training camp, Kobe Bryant indeed used this episode of “air balls” as a source of motivation.
” The people around me, the media and the staff, see these shots as a real turning point. I just see it as a way to give myself confidence. Even though I didn’t make those shots, I know my teammates trust me enough to take them. “, he confided at the Los Angeles Daily News.
“It shaped me”
For his part, Del Harris confirms at the time that he was never afraid to burn the wings of his very young rookie.
” When you know his mentality, you know that one or ten failures are not going to stop him. I knew I didn’t have to worry about him. He wanted to take that shot the next day and again today. »
During the 2015/16 season, a few days before sticking 60 points to this same Jazz, Kobe Bryant returned to this episode of “air balls” and he finally recognized the importance of this Game 5 in Utah and these missed shots, as he faced elimination.
” It was really a turning point for me. Being able to handle adversity, public comments and doubts was a good way to see if I had any in my stomach. Now I think about it fondly but at the time it was hell. It shaped me. Often when you are young you don’t see how a situation like this can ultimately have positive results. But if you use it to motivate you, you can think of it from where I currently stand with fondness. »
| Kobe Bryant | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 1996-97 | ALL | 71 | 16 | 41.7 | 37.5 | 81.9 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 7.6 |
| 1997-98 | ALL | 79 | 26 | 42.8 | 34.1 | 79.4 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 15.4 |
| 1998-99 | ALL | 50 | 38 | 46.5 | 26.7 | 83.9 | 1.1 | 4.2 | 5.3 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 19.9 |
| 1999-00 | ALL | 66 | 38 | 46.8 | 31.9 | 82.1 | 1.6 | 4.7 | 6.3 | 4.9 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 22.5 |
| 2000-01 | ALL | 68 | 41 | 46.4 | 30.5 | 85.3 | 1.5 | 4.3 | 5.9 | 5.0 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 28.5 |
| 2001-02 | ALL | 80 | 38 | 46.9 | 25.0 | 82.9 | 1.4 | 4.1 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 25.2 |
| 2002-03 | ALL | 82 | 42 | 45.1 | 38.3 | 84.3 | 1.3 | 5.6 | 6.9 | 5.9 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 30.0 |
| 2003-04 | ALL | 65 | 38 | 43.8 | 32.7 | 85.2 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 24.0 |
| 2004-05 | ALL | 66 | 41 | 43.3 | 33.9 | 81.6 | 1.4 | 4.5 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 27.6 |
| 2005-06 | ALL | 80 | 41 | 45.0 | 34.7 | 85.0 | 0.9 | 4.4 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 35.4 |
| 2006-07 | ALL | 77 | 41 | 46.3 | 34.4 | 86.8 | 1.0 | 4.7 | 5.7 | 5.4 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 31.6 |
| 2007-08 ★ | ALL | 82 | 39 | 45.9 | 36.1 | 84.0 | 1.2 | 5.2 | 6.3 | 5.4 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 28.3 |
| 2008-09 | ALL | 82 | 36 | 46.7 | 35.1 | 85.6 | 1.1 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 26.8 |
| 2009-10 | ALL | 73 | 39 | 45.6 | 32.9 | 81.1 | 1.1 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 0.3 | 27.0 |
| 2010-11 | ALL | 82 | 34 | 45.1 | 32.3 | 82.8 | 1.0 | 4.1 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 25.3 |
| 2011-12 | ALL | 58 | 39 | 43.0 | 30.3 | 84.5 | 1.1 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 27.9 |
| 2012-13 | ALL | 78 | 39 | 46.3 | 32.4 | 83.9 | 0.9 | 4.7 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 3.7 | 0.3 | 27.4 |
| 2013-14 | ALL | 6 | 30 | 42.5 | 18.8 | 85.7 | 0.3 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 6.3 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 5.7 | 0.2 | 13.8 |
| 2014-15 | ALL | 35 | 35 | 37.3 | 29.3 | 81.3 | 0.7 | 4.9 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 0.2 | 22.3 |
| 2015-16 | ALL | 66 | 28 | 35.8 | 28.5 | 82.6 | 0.6 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 17.6 |
| Total | 1346 | 36 | 44.7 | 32.9 | 83.7 | 1.1 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 25.0 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
