‘Mamba Mentality’ lessons

Visiting my mom Elvira on her 89th birthday in Los Angeles offered an opportunity to watch the beginning of a new era for the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. In this year’s biggest trade blockbuster, 25-year-old Luka Doncic, recognized as one of the best basketball players in the world, joined the Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Anthony Davis, another all-star. As an avid fan, this writer’s first thought was whether Luka is a worthy successor to Kobe Bryant’s “Mamba Mentality.”

Kobe defined Mamba Mentality as “constantly trying to be the best version of yourself,” emphasizing hard work, mental toughness and the pursuit of greatness. The term originated from his nickname, “Black Mamba,” a symbol of focus, precision and lethal efficiency. “The mindset isn’t about seeking a result — its more about the process of getting to that result. It’s about the journey.”

In the book The Mamba Mentality: How I Play, Kobe reflects on his career, mindset, and the principles that drove his success. It provides insights not only into his basketball but also into how anyone can apply the philosophy to achieve excellence in their own lives. He documents who he learned from, how he played through pain and why he refused to accept losing as an option.

“If you really want to be great at something, you have to truly care about it. You have to obsess over it. Greatness isn’t easy to achieve.  It requires a lot of time, a lot of sacrifices. It requires a lot of tough choices. It requires your loved ones to sacrifice, too, so you have to have an understanding circle of family and friends. There is a fine line between obsessing about your craft and being there for your family. You can’t achieve greatness by walking a straight line,” he said in the book.

Kobe’s commitment to hard work was unparalleled. He believed that consistent, discipled effort separates the good from the great. He often practiced before dawn and focused on refining every aspect of his game. “My midnight workouts have become a thing of legend. They were always purposeful,” he said. He also discussed playing while in pain and making adjustments, as long as the situation does not worsen.

Kobe was obsessed with the smallest details — whether it was footwork, understanding opponent’s tendencies, or improving his physical conditioning. He believed mastery came from perfecting the basics and paying attention to nuances others overlooked. Small improvements lead to significant gains.

Throughout his career, Kobe faced injuries, setbacks and criticism. Yet his mindset was to view challenges as opportunities for growth. He approached failures as learning experiences and never let them deter his ambition.

He constantly sought to improve by learning from others. He studied the game, learned from basketball legends, and applied lessons from other fields to enhance his performance. He set exceptionally high standards for himself and expected the same from his teammates. For Kobe, basketball was more than a game — it was a lifelong passion.

Whether in business, sports, or personal growth, adopting the Mamba Mentality means committing to continuous improvement, embracing hard work, resilience, leadership, and pushing through challenges. It’s a mindset that anyone can adopt to reach their full potential and inspire others along the way whether you’re an athlete, entrepreneur or leader. It is a blueprint for lasting success.

Examples of Mamba Mentality in practice are aplenty. The commitment to excellence is shown in Elon Musk’s dedication to Space X’s and Tesla’s innovations. Resilience in the face of failure is shown in Steve Jobs rebound after being ousted from Apple, founding NEXT and returning with the creation of the iPhone. Kobe seeking wisdom from sports legends reflect in CEO’s investment in lifelong learning like Warren Buffett’s propensity to read 500 pages a day to maintain his edge. Kobe pushed to teammates to their limits much like Jeff Bezos cultivated a demanding culture at Amazon.

Now, back to Luka. His ability to dominate under pressure and his commitment to improving year after year align with the Mamba ethics. However, critics point out that Luka’s conditioning and defensive consistency haven’t yet reached Kobe’s uncompromising level. It all depends on his capacity to adopt Kobe’s relentless work ethics and leadership style over time. Luka has the potential. Only time will tell if he can live up to expectations.

The views expressed herein are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of his office as well as FINEX.

Benel Dela Paz Lagua was previously EVP and chief development officer at the Development Bank of the Philippines.  He is an active FINEX member and an advocate of risk-based lending for SMEs. Today, he is independent director in progressive banks and in some NGOs.