Los Angeles Lakers

Tyronn Lue reveals Kobe Bryant’s intense 1-on-1 ritual to assert Lakers leadership

Published

September 1, 2025

Dec 25, 2003; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (8) is defended by Houston Rockets guard Steve Francis (3) at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images

In the 2000s, when you joined the Los Angeles Lakers, you were about to embark on an unwinnable challenge… playing Kobe Bryant in a one-on-one game.

Related: Magic Johnson lists his top 5 Lakers of all time

This is according to Tyronn Lue, who played alongside Kobe for three seasons.

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“What you saw in the game every single day, every single day. He wanted to be the best player every single day in practice, in the game, and that’s just how he competed, you know.

“And so, every time we got a new player like, you know, Glen Rice. And Glen Rice was a bad dude. Kobe wanted to play one-on-one to show him, ‘This is my team’. We got J.R. Rider, same thing. Like J.R. Rider got there, he wanted to play him one-on-one. Show him, ‘this is my team.”

(Starts 46:30)

Kobe truly was the Michael Jordan of his generation. It was an honor to watch him play.

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About the Author Published Sep 1, 2025

TITAN FREY

Titan Frey is a dedicated father to three wonderful children, whom he takes immense pride in. His passions include reading, writing, basketball, both playing and watching, and playing chess. Titan spent five years working as a journalist for the basketball website fadeawayworld.net, where he served as editor-in-chief for four and a half years. One of his most notable achievements was interviewing Chuck Cooper III, the son of Chuck Cooper, the first African American ever drafted by an NBA team, and writing a biography that has been praised as the most definitive article about Cooper’s legacy. Titan is the author of more than ten novels and the screenwriter of three produced short films. His newest young adult novel, Echoes of the Hardwood: Braxton Foxworthy’s Time‑Travelling Book Report, blends basketball history with heartfelt storytelling and is now available. Order here: https://a.co/d/bo7BYz1