‘I was a Kobe Bryant guy’ – Carter Bryant reveals extreme Spurs offseason routine
· Yahoo Sports
Carter Bryant has revealed just how extreme his offseason routine became as the San Antonio Spurs forward looked to make a leap in his second NBA season.
Bryant said he regularly worked out four or five times a day and made more than 1,000 shots, with his first session beginning at 4 a.m. His efforts were inspired heavily by the work ethic of his childhood idol, Kobe Bryant.
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The 20-year-old averaged 4.2 points per game last season while shooting 33.5% from three.
Against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, he returned from an ankle injury to score 16 points while hitting four of his seven three-point attempts.
Carter Bryant took inspiration from Kobe Bryant to transform his game
Speaking after San Antonio’s 123-103 preseason victory, Bryant explained how he approached his summer.
“I was a Kobe Bryant guy,” he said. “And then all of my favorite players growing up were Kobe disciples. They were all guys that really loved Kobe and you hear their stories and pick people’s brains.
“And I’ve always been wired that the only way to get better than people is to outwork them. And you kind of hear Kobe talk about it, the idea of ‘compound interest.'”
Bryant’s daily schedule reflected that mentality. His first workout started at 4 a.m. while another came at 7 a.m., followed by an afternoon session and a final shooting workout in the evening.
“I would make about 500 there,” Bryant added. “The total of my day was for sure over 1,000.”
However, the Spurs forward also learned that more work does not always mean better work. He eventually reduced the time needed to make 500 shots from 90 minutes to 45.
“Getting better doesn’t always look like running yourself into the ground,” Bryant further stated. “Sometimes that’s unproductive. You start getting tired. You’re creating bad habits.”
The extra work is already showing signs of paying off. De’Aaron Fox said Bryant looks “a lot more confident” from distance while coach Mitch Johnson believes the youngster has a better understanding of where his shots will come from.
Bryant now wants to keep things simple in his second season. His role is not to replicate what Kobe did but to become the player San Antonio needs him to be.
“I believe I’m very skilled, very talented, but talent means nothing without confidence at the end of the day,” Bryant concluded.
After reaching the NBA Finals last season, the Spurs will be hoping Bryant’s improved confidence and shooting can help push the team even further.
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