So, I spent some time the other day really digging into this whole Kobe and Dillon Brooks situation. You know, how Brooks talks a lot, brings up legends, kinda positions himself as this tough defender against the big names. It got me thinking, so I decided to make it a little project, a bit of practice in understanding what’s actually going on there.
My Process: Watching and Thinking
First thing I did was just pull up footage. Not of them playing each other, obviously, ’cause the timelines don’t match up for Brooks’ peak trash talk era. I focused on watching Dillon Brooks guard other top players. I really paid attention to his style.
- Physicality: Yeah, he’s definitely physical. Gets right up on guys. Not afraid of contact.
- Chatter: You can’t always hear it, but you can see him talking. Constantly. Trying to get in their heads.
- Overall Vibe: He carries himself with this massive chip on his shoulder. Like he’s got something to prove every single second.
Then I started thinking back to Kobe. How did Kobe operate? What was the ‘Mamba Mentality’ really about? It wasn’t just about talking smack. It was insane work ethic. It was surgical precision on the court. It was breaking opponents down mentally, sure, but mostly through relentless skill and preparation, making them feel helpless against his game.
Trying to Connect the Dots
I tried to see the connection Brooks might be trying to make, or that people talk about. Is Brooks trying to be like Kobe? Maybe in the sense of wanting to be the guy who guards the best player and tries to shut them down with intensity. But the way they went about it feels worlds apart to me.
I remember back when I used to play pickup games, way back. There was this one time I tried to be the annoying defender. Copied some moves I saw, talked a little trash, thought I could get into the other guy’s head. You know what happened? I mostly just committed stupid fouls. Or the guy just ignored me and scored anyway. Because I didn’t have the game to back up the attitude. I hadn’t put in Kobe-level work, obviously. It was just noise.
Watching Brooks kinda reminded me of that, honestly. He puts in effort, for sure. He’s got that dawg in him, you gotta give him that. But invoking Kobe, or trying to act like he’s got that same kind of psychological edge built on legendary skill… it feels different. Kobe’s intensity felt earned, built on thousands of hours in the gym. Brooks’ sometimes feels more like a performance, a way to get attention or try to level the playing field through sheer willpower and, well, annoyance.
So, what did I get out of this little exercise?
It just solidified my view, really. Kobe was Kobe. His mentality was unique and backed by unparalleled substance. Brooks is doing his thing, making a name for himself his own way. It’s intense, it gets headlines, but comparing it directly to Kobe? It just doesn’t sit right with me after looking closer. One was about domination through skill, the other often feels more about disruption through attitude. Different paths, different results.
