Jazz assistant coach reveals the intelligent Kobe Bryant lesson he learned

Love him or hate him, Kobe Bryant was a basketball icon. Even to this day, he is celebrated whenever his achievements are discussed. In the case of the Utah Jazz, they were a thorn in his side in his early days. For Jazz assistant coach Jason Terry, he still remembers what Bryant taught him: live every day like it’s your last and reach your full potential.

In an exclusive interview with Landon Buford of RatingsTerry revealed what Bryant taught him before his death.

“The most important thing I learned from Kobe is this: He once said that as humans we always think we have more time – that there will be another play, another game, another day or another opportunity to tell your daughters or your family members that you love them,” Terry told Buford. “But nothing is guaranteed. That’s probably the greatest lesson in life: live every moment to the fullest and strive to be the best.”

Bryant’s ruthlessly competitive nature made him highly revered by players who came at the same time or after him. He was also not well liked by his teammates, best exemplified by his highly publicized feud with Shaquille O’Neal in the early 2000s.

However, Bryant really showed the world that he wanted to do everything he could to fulfill his potential from start to finish. Sure, there were speed bumps along the way, and those last years with the Lakers were pretty sad, but Bryant did it his way, and that was all that mattered.

Jazz alum mentioned Kobe as a mentor

A few Jazz alumni have played with Bryant over the years, including Derek Fisher, Carlos Boozer and Ed Davis. However, when one thinks of Jazz alum who played alongside Kobe, the first name that comes to mind is Jordan Clarkson.

Clarkson was there for the last two years of Bryant’s career (2014-2016), where you can clearly see how much Bryant influenced his career. Clarkson was an instant scorer when he entered the NBA, and having someone like Bryant there from the jump made him feel more comfortable in his shoes.

When Bryant died, Clarkson revealed in an interview that he considered the NBA legend a mentor to him Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. While Utah helped make Clarkson a more effective player, he definitely needed Kobe’s mentorship.

And that’s the kind of example Bryant set when he played in the NBA. Even to this day, Jazz alumni and coaches remember him for both basketball and non-basketball reasons.