There have been countless legends throughout NBA history. Nonetheless, just a handful of players has been able to stand out from the rest of the pack. The Bill Russells, Michael Jordans, Kobe Bryants, LeBron James don’t come very often.

Besides their talent and impact on the court, those players also inspire the rest when they’re behind closed doors. Their work ethic, determination, and obsession to improve their craft make them so great.

That was in full display during the Olympics back in 2008, when Kobe Bryant gave the best players on Earth a lesson and showed them just how much of a hard worker he was, according to Hall of Famer Chris Bosh.

Chris Bosh Tells The Most Kobe Bryant Story Ever During Hall Of Fame Speech

(Transcript via Fadeaway World)

“It was 2008, the Redeem Team was formed. We were in Vegas for the start of training camp and we’re getting ready for the Olympics in Beijing. I wanted to establish myself as a young leader on the team by waking up bright and early [on] day one. So the goal was to be the first one at breakfast. I set my alarm, I make sure I’m up by sunrise, I get out of bed, I put on my gear and I head downstairs…but when I get there, Kobe is already there with ice packs on his knees, drenched in sweat.”

“It took me a minute to figure it out, but this guy was not only awake before me, he had already worked out. He had just played in the Finals days earlier, meanwhile I’ve been off for months and I was still exhausted. What he did that day was incomprehensible to me…that dedication he had only days after falling short of an NBA championship, that taught me something I have never forgotten: legends aren’t defined by their successes, they are defined by how they bounce back from their failures.”

That’s just classic Kobe right there. Not only did he want to be the best player on Earth but also, he wanted to send a message and let everybody know that he work the hardest. Oh, Kobe, how do we miss you, man.

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