Credits : USA Today Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers, along with the San Antonio Spurs set the standard for success in the first decade of the new millennium. After three-peating their way into the 2000s, the Lakers picked up two more championships back-to-back in 2009 and 2010. While Kobe Bryant was a common factor in all 5 of their championship runs, the supporting cast kept witnessing changes. Lamar Odom was a change instrumental to the Lakers’ run to the latter two of their championships.

The former 6th Man of the Year was a key player in the last two championship runs of the Kobe era. Odom averaged 11 points and 9 rebounds and his contributions made him a fan favorite in LA.

Having spent a good 7-year run at LA, Odom was naturally privy to a lot of what made Bryant iconic. Odom confessed to having been a witness to the Black Mamba himself claiming to be better than Michael Jordan even.

Odom claims to have been the only one who heard Kobe Bryant make his brave claim.

Kobe Bryant was a disciple of Michael Jordan and that isn’t lost to anyone. But, the fact that Bryant himself believed in him being better than his idol to a teammate might come as a surprise. But that was what embodied the Mamba Mentality. Believing that you are the best and striving hard to make it known through your game was what Bryant stood for and instilled among a generation of fans.

Bryant didn’t second guess his intuition either. As Odom revealed, he did question his Lakers captain’s statement only to be met by a signature Kobe scowl. As Odom imitates the look, any Bryant fan can imagine the situation playing out in real time. No one could question Bryant without disapproval, especially when the claim was by Kobe himself.

While Odom seems to be the only person to have been a witness to this instance, it appears there was a public indication from Bryant of his greatness too. Out there for everyone to see, through his now-retired jersey number, according to Kevin Garnett.

Kevin Garnett reveals Kobe’s choice of #24 was a shot at Michael Jordan.

Michael Jordan and his iconic #23 are part of NBA lore. And while normally people pick the jersey numbers of their idols, Bryant was different.

Kobe, inspired by #23, opted to take #24 as a “sign to everybody” according to KG. It was Kobe’s declaration of his belief in being one step better than his favorite player.

“People don’t understand what his No. 24 stands for, people don’t understand that was a sign to everybody that he was a step above 23. And that was a shot at Mike, like n—, I’m better than you” said Garnett of Bryant’s reasoning behind #24. Kevin Garnett on Kobe:

That definitely is the definition of Kobe’s ‘Mamba Mentality’ if there ever was one. Kobe certainly believed he was “him”. Michael Jordan who?