Kobe Bryant’s HS coach motivated him by saying Vince Carter was better

Kobe Bryant has been quite the self-motivator throughout his legendary NBA career, but it might surprise you to know it wasn’t always this way.

Back in his high school days at Lower Merion High, Bryant was challenged by coach Gregg Downer to match Vince Carter, who he said was a better player at that time, per Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.

“Of all the things that Kobe could remember, he remembers me poking fun at him and saying that Vince Carter was better than him,” Downer said. “He encapsulates all that stuff in his mind. He wanted to be the best. All these years later, you can’t compare to what Kobe’s done to what Carter’s done.”

Obviously, Bryant’s NBA career has eclipsed anything Carter has done in the Association. However, while the kids these days probably don’t realize this, Carter was being compared to the likes of Michael Jordan when he was drafted No. 5 overall by the Golden State Warriors in 1998.

Downer also challenged Bryant to win a state championship, like Carter did. Of course, par for the course, Bryant lived up to the challenge and took Lower Medina High to the pinnacle the next year.

Not surprisingly, Downer’s challenge had a lingering effect, as well.

“When I came into the league,” Bryant told Los Angeles News Group, “I always wanted to play extra hard against Vince because of it.”

Bryant also admitted back in 2010 when visiting his old stomping grounds that Downer joking about Carter being better “pissed me off.”

Remarkably, both players are still doing their thing in the NBA. Bryant, at the age of 37, is playing out his final year with the Los Angeles Lakers — the team he’s remarkably played his entire career with. Carter, at the age of 39, is still making plays with the Memphis Grizzlies.