Korva is a scroll of the internet’s best ideas.
Kobe made a rap album
Kobe Goes Solo
Shaq had sold millions of records, with songs alongside Wu-Tang and Notorious B.I.G. on his first album, and Kobe's competitive streak with him was well known. Kobe had been in a group while in high school, and the executive Steve Stoute signed the group. Three months later Kobe dropped the group and went solo.
A Month in New Jersey
He spent a month at Stoute's house in New Jersey working on the album. Stoute booked a local gym to watch him shoot a thousand shots, and Kobe kept tapes of Michael Jordan going right, going left, and guarding people both ways. He was around Nas and Foxy Brown, and he came to New York and lived there. The first song didn't go over well, but on its set he met Vanessa, his future wife.
Facing Iverson's Moves
To prepare to face Allen Iverson, Kobe asked for 10 New York City point guards with handles. They met at Chelsea Piers, ten players with basketballs, and came at him one at a time with a head of steam, trying to get by him to the basket. Kobe stripped or blocked each one, and the next came as soon as he had finished the last. This was after the thousand shots, and he was 18 or 19.
How did high schoolers enter the NBA directly?
Before 2006 the NBA allowed players to enter the draft straight out of high school. Kevin Garnett's selection as the fifth pick in 1995 revived the path after two decades, and Kobe Bryant followed in 1996 as the 13th pick, traded from Charlotte to the Lakers. The collective bargaining agreement reached in 2005 set a minimum age of 19, starting with the 2006 draft.
Why did NBA stars start recording albums?
Shaquille O'Neal's debut, Shaq Diesel, came out in 1993, during his second NBA season, and the RIAA certified it platinum. Shaq-Fu: Da Return followed in 1994. He later released more albums, including You Can't Stop the Reign in 1996.
How do NBA players study film?
Film study is standard preparation in the NBA, and teams employ video coordinators who cut each game into clips by opponent and play type. A player can see how a defender reacts to a screen, a crossover, or a drive before facing him. Video staff also prepare edited clips for individual players before each game.
More from David Senra
