Jimmy Kimmel Remembers Kobe Bryant

AFTER. THE THING ABOUT KIDS, MAN, IS YOU DON'T WANT TO DISAPPOINT THEM. BEFORE THE GAME THEY PLAY THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. I LOOK IN THE STANDS AND SEE MY WIFE AND OUR DAUGHTERS. AND THEY ARE LIKE THE USA SING. THEY HAVE THE FLAG AND EVERYTHING. YOU JUST LOOK AT THEM AND THINK: I BETTER NOT GET INTO THIS. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IF YOU LISTEN TO THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, YOU CAN'T HELP GET A LITTLE EXCITED. Jimmy: WELL, WHEN WE COME BACK, ONE OF MY FAVORITE INTERVIEWS WITH KOBE, ONE IN WHICH HE TALKS ABOUT LeBron, COACHING HIS DAUGHTER'S BASKETBALL TEAM AND WHAT HE CALLED THE MAMBA MENTALITY.

Jimmy: TONIGHT WE LOOK BACK AT THE MOMENTS WE SHARED WITH KOBE BRYANT, ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS IN NBA HISTORY. AND KOBE WAS A BASKETBALL PLAYER. HE WAS ALSO THE AUTHOR. KOBE WAS IN RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF PERFECTION. IN THIS 2018 CONVERSATION WE TALKED ABOUT MANY THINGS. HIS DAUGHTERS by him, LeBRON, HIS BOOK "THE MAMBA MENTALITY". AND I THINK THIS CLIP DOES A VERY GOOD JOB OF ILLUSTRATING KOBE'S NEVER RETAILING COMMITMENT TO BEING THE BEST HE COULD BE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Jimmy: HOW ARE YOU? I'M GREAT. Jimmy: EVERYONE IS EXCITED TO SEE YOU. THAT HAS TO BE...

WELL, YOU ARE LOVED. THANK YOU. Jimmy: HOW ARE YOU? WHAT IS HAPPENING? EVERYTHING'S FINE? EVERYTHING IS FINE, MAN. Jimmy: ARE YOU ENJOYING RETIREMENT? IT'S FUN? I AM ENJOYING RETIREMENT. Jimmy: I KNOW YOU'RE DOING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. YES. BUT IS FUN. Jimmy: DO YOU WATCH THE LAKERS? HAVE YOU BEEN SITTING AND WATCHING THE GAMES? I WATCHED THE LAST EIGHT MINUTES OF THE FOURTH QUARTER AND OVERTIME LAST NIGHT. MY TEAM, MY GIRLS, WE PRACTICE EVERY NIGHT WITH MY TEAM. SO I DON'T GET A CHANCE TO WATCH THE GAME - Jimmy: YES, YOU'RE TRAINING. I AM A COACH.

Jimmy: HOW MANY GAMES IN A ROW WOULD THE LAKERS HAVE TO LOSE FOR YOU TO NOT RETIRE, FOR YOU TO RETURN TO THE TEAM? IT WOULD BE LIKE -- I MEAN, IF I WAS LIKED -- Jimmy: IF I WAS 20, YOU WOULD THINK ABOUT IT, RIGHT? IF THEY GO 0-5 I WILL THINK ABOUT IT. Jimmy: YOU'LL THINK ABOUT IT. NO, I WON'T. Jimmy: LeBRON CAN TANK THOSE GAMES JUST TO GET YOU ON THE COURT. How involved were you in LeBron's arrival in Los Angeles? DID YOU SPEAK WITH HIM? NO, I DIDN'T TALK WITH HIM ABOUT COMING TO L.A.

BUT I TALK TO JEANIE AND -- Jimmy: WITH JEANIE BUSS. JEANIE BUSS. Jimmy: THE OWNER OF THE TEAM. SHE WANTED TO BRING LEBRON HERE. BUT LeBron IS NOT GOING TO COME HERE IF THE MANAGEMENT DOESN'T FIND OUT. Jimmy: I GOT YOU. YOU HAVE TO DISCOVER MANAGEMENT, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE CLEAN, THAT THEY ARE FOCUSED ON THE FORWARD, IT'S NOT CHAOTIC LIKE IT HAS BEEN IN PAST YEARS. AND SHE DID IT. Jimmy: AND NOW HERE WE ARE. YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT YOUR OWN TEAM. YOU ARE COACHING YOUR DAUGHTER'S TEAM. I AM. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE DOING WELL.

WE'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF. Jimmy: WHAT'S YOUR RECORD on him? THEY HAVE NO SEASONS. IT'S CRAZY. THEY ONLY HAVE TOURNAMENTS. LIKE EVERY WEEKEND. Jimmy: I see. AND IF YOU DON'T WIN THE TOURNAMENTS, DO YOU LIKE... DO YOU HAVE TO SLEEP IN THE PATIO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? NO FOOD FOR A WEEK. Jimmy: BECAUSE IF ANYONE, ANYONE WOULD THINK LIKE THAT I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE THE MAMBA MENTALITY. RUN TWO HOURS IN A ROW IN PRACTICE. NO WATER BREAKS. NOTHING. Push-ups and sit-ups all day. Jimmy: HOW SERIOUS ARE YOU? Are you analyzing game film?

NOT YET, BUT WE WILL. WE ABSOLUTELY WILL. WE TRY TO TEACH CHILDREN WHAT EXCELLENCE LOOKS LIKE. IT'S NOT THAT, SOME OF THEM MAY WANT TO PLAY IN THE WNBA. SOME OF THEM MAY NOT. Jimmy: CORRECT. BUT WE TRY TO GIVE YOU A BASIS OF THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND PREPARATION THAT IS NEEDED TO BE EXCELLENT. IN WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO. WE ARE HERE PLAYING BASKETBALL, WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THE DETAILS, WE ARE GOING TO LEARN THE BASICS, WE ARE GOING TO LEARN THE FUNDAMENTALS. WE ARE GOING TO DO THOSE THINGS OVER AND OVER.

AND I HOPE IT IS SOMETHING YOU CAN APPLY TO OTHER AREAS OF YOUR LIFE. Jimmy: DO YOU THINK YOUR DAUGHTER WANTS TO PLAY IN THE WNBA? SHE'S SURE. Jimmy: SHE DOES IT? THIS KID, MAN. Jimmy: WOULDN'T THAT BE COOL? DUDE, MAN. I'M TELLING YOU. THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENS IS WHEN WE GO OUT AND THE FANS COME UP TO ME AND SHE STANDS NEXT TO ME AND THEY'LL SAY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BOY. YOU AND V SHOULD HAVE A BOY, MAN. BE? TO CONTINUE ITS TRADITION, THE LEGACY. SHE SAYS, "OY. I GOT THIS." THAT'S HOW IT IS.

IF YOU CAN. YOU GOT IT. Jimmy: HOW OLD ARE THE KIDS NOW? 15, 12, AND OUR LITTLE BIANKA WILL BE 2. Jimmy: DO YOU HAVE HALLOWEEN COSTUMES OUT? THEY HAVE MINE DISCOUNTED. I NEVER KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. THEY JUST TELL ME THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE WEARING. I'M WEARING THIS. Jimmy: WOULD YOU TREAT OR CHEAT? WE GO TRICK OR TREAT EVERY HALLOWEEN. Jimmy: THEN YOU'RE IN DISGUISE. WHAT WERE YOU LAST YEAR? LAST YEAR WE WERE A LEAGUE OF OUR OWN. SO I WAS THE BLACK TOM HANKS. DON'T CRY IN BASEBALL. SHE'S CRYING, SIR. Jimmy: I READ THE BOOK. BOY. I was planning on skimming it before you came in, and I really invested in it.

THAT'S GOOD. Jimmy: WHY DID YOU PASS - WELL, FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE A LUNATIC. 100%. Jimmy: NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT. 100%. Jimmy: YOU ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT YOUR PREPARATION AND ALL THESE THINGS YOU DO. BUT WHEN YOU READ THE DETAILS IT'S LIKE OH MY GOD THIS IS A MENTAL PATIENT. he IS TRUE. He is TRUE. Jimmy: YOU ARE AWARE OF THAT. WERE YOU ALWAYS AWARE OF THAT? I AM AWARE OF MY MADNESS, YES. Jimmy: ONE OF THE THINGS I THOUGHT WAS MOST INTERESTING IN THE BOOK IS THAT YOU READ IT, AND THIS GETS LUNATIC. YOU READ THE OFFICIAL REFEREE'S MANUAL TO KNOW WHERE THE REFEREES ARE ON THE COURT.

EXPLAIN THIS IDEA. THERE IS A REGULATION AND THE OFFICERS HAVE TO BE IN CERTAIN POSITIONS. SO IF YOU WATCH A GAME YOU WILL SEE OFFICIALS SLIDING INTO DIFFERENT AREAS. YOU HAVE YOUR OFFICIAL SLOT AND SO AND SO AND SO. SO I READ IT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY SHOULD BE AT CERTAIN TIMES, SO IF I NEED TO GET OUT WITH A FOUL, THE SLOT OFFICER WON'T SEE THIS LITTLE PROP HERE. Jimmy: HAS ANY PLAYER YOU KNOW DONE THAT BEFORE? NOT THAT I KNOW. Jimmy: THAT'S INTERESTING. TO PROTECT AND CORRECT ME IF I HAVE ANY OF THIS EVIL.

TO PROTECT YOUR ANKLES, YOU LEARNED TO DANCE TAPÉ. I DID IT. Jimmy: WHY DID WE NOT KNOW THIS? WELL, IT WAS KEPT SECRET FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. Jimmy: DO THEY MAKE TAP SHOES IN YOUR SIZE? I HAD TO DO THEM. Jimmy: I HAD TO DO THEM. I CAN'T GO TO THE STORE AND SAY, YES, I'LL GET THOSE SIZE 14 TAP. Jimmy: YOU CAN'T CALL NIKE AND SAY DO YOU HAVE TAP SHOES? So, are you an accomplished tapper? DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PLAY? YOU ARE NOT. NO. BUT ONE SUMMER, FOR A YEAR, YES. I COULD TELL MY FEET TO DO THIS AND THEY WOULD ACTUALLY DO THAT.

Jimmy: CORRECT. DON'T YOU EVER DO IT ANYMORE? NO, I DON'T. NO. BUT IN MY FIRST CLASS I ENTERED THE STUDIO. THESE ARE ALL LIKE 6 YEAR OLD CHILDREN, 7 YEAR OLD CHILDREN. Jimmy: SERIOUSLY? STRAIGHT, MAN. STUDY IN SANTA MONICA. AND THESE KIDS LOOK AT ME LIKE WHAT? NO WAY. What is this grown man doing here learning tap dancing? Jimmy: WOW! THIS IS... TAP DANCE. DON'T YOU EVER WANT TO DO A LITTLE TAP DANCE? CAN YOU SHOW US A LITTLE? IF I COULD, I WOULD. Jimmy: WE TAKE A BREAK. GO TRAIN - GUILLERMO, GO GET A PAIR OF GIANT SHOES.

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. Jimmy: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT ON THIS SAD NIGHT. I wish it had been under happier circumstances. MAGIC JOHNSON WILL BE WITH US TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE SHOW. AND AGAIN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION TO THE KOBE AND VANESSA BRYANT FAMILY FOUNDATION, YOU CAN DO SO AT THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN. WE PRAY FOR ALL THOSE WHO WERE LOST YESTERDAY AND THOSE THEY LEFT BEHIND, THE CHILDREN, THEIR PARENTS AND KOBE BRYANT, WHO IS GONE BUT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. KOBE BRYANT, FROM LOWER MERION HIGH SCHOOL IN PENNSYLVANIA. ♪ ♪ TALK ABOUT ♪ TAKE THOSE PHOTOS AND SHAKE THEM ♪ ♪ TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCE ♪ RUN ♪ THERE GOES MY HERO ♪ WATCH HIM WHILE HE GOES ♪ THERE GOES MY HERO ♪ IT'S ORDINARY ♪ THERE GOES MY HERO ♪ LOOK AT HIM LIKE HE'S GOING ♪ THERE GOES MY HERO ♪ IT'S ORDINARY