The NBA is one of the most competitive tournaments in the world. Moreover, if you play for a big market team like the Los Angeles Lakers or Boston Celtics, you know there’ll be plenty of pressure on your shoulders.
That’s why most players need to develop great mental strength to be able to deal with the media, fans, and people constantly assessing their performance and sharing their thoughts on their game.
However, not all of them are exactly open to criticism or care about what other people say. According to Charles Barkley, that’s the case with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, as they just get livid when people call them out.
Charles Barkley Says Kobe And LeBron Can’t Handle Criticism
(Transcript via Fadeaway World)
“When I get guys complimented, they never f***ing call me. Kobe Bryant, who I love, and rest in peace, I said for three or five years, he was the best pro player in the world, and one night against the Phoenix Suns, he didn’t take any shots in the game in the second half, and I went off on him after the game. ... He called me from 1 o’clock in the morning to 4 o’clock in the morning, cursing me out like a dog. The best thing about it, it’s that it was all text. He called me every name in the book.
“I’ve always said what a great person LeBron James is, I admire him as a person, he’s one of the 5-6 best basketball players I’ve ever seen, I said something about him and he went off on me. But I always laugh. I’m like, ‘these dudes never call me when I talk about how great they are,’ so I learned I had to just deal with it.”
At the end of the day, it’s all a part of the sports business. You have to be able to handle criticism and just shut down all the outside noise. But hey, maybe that’s just what fuels their fire, and no one can say it hasn’t worked.