You’ve probably seen the video of Myles Garrett on a basketball court. He’s 270 pounds of pure twitch, crossing people over and dunking with a ferocity that feels slightly illegal for a human that size. But if you look past the athleticism, there’s something else there. It’s a specific kind of intensity in his eyes.
Honestly, it’s a look we used to see every night at the STAPLES Center.
Myles Garrett isn’t just a fan of Kobe Bryant; he’s a student of him. In a world where "Mamba Mentality" has become a bit of a cliché—something people put in their Instagram bios while hitting the snooze button—Garrett is one of the few who actually lives the dark side of it. The obsessive side. The "I want to ruin your day" side.
The Connection Between Myles Garrett and Kobe Bryant
It started way before the NFL Draft or the Defensive Player of the Year trophies. Growing up, Garrett was surrounded by basketball. His half-brother, Sean Williams, was a first-round NBA pick. Basketball was the family language. But while most kids were just trying to mimic Kobe’s fadeaway, Garrett was dissecting how the man thought.
He’s talked about this a lot. Basically, he views Kobe as the blueprint for the "killer instinct."
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There’s this specific idea Garrett often mentions about finding a middle ground. On one hand, you have the guys who are totally relaxed, almost like they’re just breathing while they play. Think Reggie Miller or Muhammad Ali. On the other, you have the assassins—MJ and Kobe. The guys who want to take you out of the game entirely.
Garrett tries to fuse those two. He wants to have fun, sure, but he wants that Kobe-level obsession to be the foundation. You see it in the way he prepares. He doesn't just watch film; he looks for the "why" behind an offensive lineman’s footwork, the same way Kobe would spend hours studying why a defender’s shadow moved a certain way.
The Tattoo and the Tribute
If you need proof that this isn't just "PR talk," look at the ink. Garrett has a massive tattoo on his leg dedicated to Kobe. It’s not just a portrait; it’s a permanent reminder of the standard. When Kobe passed away in 2020, it hit Garrett hard. Not because they were best friends, but because the North Star for "how to be an elite athlete" had suddenly vanished.
He’s worn Kobe-inspired cleats. He talks about the Mamba in post-game pressers. But more than the gear, it’s the refusal to be satisfied.
Why the Mamba Mentality is Different for a Pass Rusher
In basketball, you can take over a game by demanding the ball. In football, specifically as a defensive end, you’re at the mercy of the scheme. You might win your rep ten times in a row and never touch the quarterback because the ball is out in two seconds.
That’s where the Kobe influence gets interesting.
Kobe was famous for his 4:00 AM workouts. Garrett has adopted a similar, almost monastic approach to his body. He uses virtual reality (VR) to simulate snaps. He does yoga to keep his 270-pound frame as flexible as a shooting guard's. He’s obsessed with the "little things" that most people find boring.
- The "Uncompliant" Mindset: Garrett once described his on-field persona as being "uncompliant." If a guy tries to sneak a cheap shot after the whistle, Garrett doesn't just get mad. He makes it his mission to "finish through" that person for the rest of the game. That’s pure Kobe.
- Athletic Superiority: He knows he's faster and stronger than almost everyone. But he also knows that’s a trap. Kobe was more athletic than most, but he worked like he was the least talented guy on the floor. Garrett pushes for that same gap.
The "Shaq and Kobe" of Cleveland
It’s not just an individual thing, either. Denzel Ward, the Browns' star corner, has openly compared his relationship with Garrett to the Shaq and Kobe dynamic. It’s a heavy comparison to carry. It implies that one of them is the immovable force and the other is the cold-blooded closer.
Garrett, for the record, is definitely the Kobe in this scenario. He's the one who will call out teammates (and himself) when the intensity isn't there.
Dealing With the "Quiet" Label
One of the biggest misconceptions about Myles Garrett is that he’s "too nice" or "too quiet." He likes dinosaurs. He writes poetry. He listens to Ella Fitzgerald and Elvis. People see that and think he lacks the "dog" in him that Kobe had.
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But they’re missing the point.
Kobe wasn't a loudmouth trash talker in the vein of Kevin Garnett. He was a cerebral assassin. He’d beat you, then tell you exactly how he did it. Garrett is similar. He isn't going to dance after every sack, but he’ll spend the next three quarters making your life a living hell.
"I want to be the greatest," he says. No qualifiers. No "top five." He wants the single-season sack record, the Hall of Fame jacket, and the respect of every guy he ever lined up against.
What We Can Learn From the Garrett-Kobe Connection
You don't have to be a 6'4" freak of nature to take something away from how Garrett interprets Kobe’s legacy. It’s about the "consistency of dominance."
Most people are great when they feel good. Kobe was great when he was sick, injured, or tired. Garrett has played through some gruesome injuries—shoulder issues, foot problems—that would sit most players for a month. He stays out there because "you'd have to kill me to keep me off the field."
Practical Takeaways for Your Own "Mamba" Path
- Audit your "Why": Garrett doesn't play for the money (though the $100M+ contracts are nice). He plays because he’s obsessed with the craft. Find the thing you’d do even if the paycheck stopped.
- Study the "Greats" Outside Your Field: Garrett is a football player, but his idol is a basketball player. He looks at how authors write and how scientists think. Cross-pollination of ideas is how you become unique.
- The 4:00 AM Principle: It’s not about the literal time. It’s about doing the work when no one is watching and there’s no immediate reward.
- Embrace the "Boring" Work: For Garrett, it’s flexibility and hand-fighting drills. For Kobe, it was 500 made jumpers. For you, it’s whatever the fundamental building block of your job is. Do it until you can’t get it wrong.
Myles Garrett is currently chasing a legacy that few in NFL history will ever touch. He's doing it with a style that is uniquely his—part poet, part paleontologist, part predator. But at the core of it all, there's a heavy dose of #24.
The jersey might be different, and the ball might be a different shape, but the ghost of Kobe Bryant is clearly alive and well on the Cleveland sidelines.
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Actionable Next Steps:
Identify one "fundamental" in your professional life that you've been neglecting because it's boring. Commit to mastering that one tiny detail over the next 30 days. Don't look for a trophy; look for the marginal gain in your performance.