When Kobe Bryant took his final lap around the NBA in 2016, the league was in the midst of a generational shift. The Black Mamba was saying goodbye, and a new wave of talent was just beginning to rise. Among that next generation was a lanky, athletically gifted forward from Greece-Giannis Antetokounmpo.
At the time, Giannis was still raw. He had the tools, no doubt, but he was far from the dominant force we know today.
He wasn’t the MVP, the champion, or the Finals MVP yet. He was a young player trying to figure it all out.
But even then, he knew greatness when he saw it-and more importantly, he knew to learn from it.
That’s exactly what he did when he got the chance to work out with Kobe Bryant.
Giannis recently opened up about that experience on The Thanalysis Show, and the way he tells it, you can feel just how much that moment meant to him-not just as a player, but as a student of the game.
“I had my notebook because I was younger back then,” Giannis said, recalling the moment like it was yesterday. “I was probably 22.
I texted him, ‘Hey, where’s the gym?’ He texted me back, and I said OK.”
Giannis landed in town the same day the workout was scheduled. No hotel.
No distractions. Just a mission.
“I land at like 7 a.m.,” he said. “Our workout was at like 10:30.
I got to the gym at 8 a.m. with my physio. Warmed up for 30 minutes.
Then we just waited.”
And then Kobe walked in.
“He’s walking toward me… and I’m not even exaggerating-he’s glowing,” Giannis said, his voice still carrying the awe. “He’s walking in slow motion.
We’re talking about aura. Ultimate aura.
I’m starstruck. I don’t even know what I’m going to say.”
Kobe greeted him with a simple, “Hey, big fella. How are you doing? You ready to work out?”
Giannis was ready. At least, he thought he was.
Notebook in hand, he expected a standard shooting drill. “He told me, ‘Go right, make some shots.’
I made five, like you usually do, then move to the next spot. He goes, ‘Five?
Make 20.’ I said, ‘What you mean 20?’
He’s like, ‘Yeah, you make 20. Until you can’t shoot no more.’”
That’s the Mamba Mentality in action. Not just working hard-working until there’s nothing left in the tank.
That moment wasn’t just a workout. It was a masterclass in what it takes to be great.
And for Giannis, it became a foundational memory in his development.
He didn’t go into detail about the rest of the workout, but he didn’t need to. “Arguably one of the greatest moments with a legend, with a GOAT, was with Kobe Bryant,” he said.
Fast forward to now, and Giannis is everything that potential once hinted at-and more. NBA Champion.
Two-time MVP. Finals MVP.
Defensive Player of the Year. He’s built a legacy of his own, but it’s clear that moments like that one with Kobe helped shape the mindset that got him there.
And Giannis isn’t the only one who’s had the rare opportunity to learn from the greats.
Larry Nance Jr., another former Laker, had a unique experience of his own. After starting his career in Los Angeles, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017. That move gave him the rare distinction of having played alongside not just Kobe Bryant, but also LeBron James.
Very few players can say they’ve shared the floor with both legends, and Nance Jr. has been candid about what that meant and how different their leadership styles were. Each icon brought something unique to the table-Kobe with his relentless edge and singular focus, LeBron with his cerebral approach and ability to elevate everyone around him.
For young players like Giannis and Nance Jr., those experiences aren’t just stories to tell-they’re lessons that last a lifetime. And in the case of Giannis, it’s clear that one glowing moment in a quiet gym helped ignite a fire that’s still burning strong.