In January 2017, I sat down with retired NBA veteran J.R. Reid for a session on Scoop B Radio that connected two different generations of basketball royalty. Reid, a former teammate of Kobe Bryant on the 1999 Lakers and a peer of Dell Curry, offered a “buttoned-up” look at the psychological warfare that defines the game’s elite. While the world knew Kobe for his “Mamba Mentality,” Reid revealed that Bryant was already training to be a “mental assassin” long before he was a five-time champion.
Reflecting on this in December 2025, as Steph Curry continues to defy age with the Warriors and Kobe’s legacy remains the gold standard for preparation, Reid’s 2017 observations serve as the ultimate bridge between the “Mamba” and the “Baby-Faced Assassin.”
“He’s Trying to Be a Mental Assassin”
J.R. Reid saw a different side of Kobe during their time together in Los Angeles. While other players were passing time with cards or video games, Kobe was often isolated with his nose in a book—specifically The Art of War.
“Kobe was put together differently than a lot of other guys,” Reid told me in 2017. “I might be reading some stock stuff, computers, car stuff and Kobe is over there reading about the art of war. He’s trying to be a mental assassin. He was a great teammate, but he was always working.”
The Curry Connection: “He Saw the Killer Behind the Smile”
Perhaps the most “buttoned-up” part of the conversation was Reid’s memory of a young Steph Curry. Having played with Dell Curry, Reid watched Steph and Seth grow up in NBA locker rooms. He noted that even then, Steph was “ahead of the game” because he saw the dedication required to reach the top.
The connection came full circle through Kobe himself. Before he passed, Bryant famously praised Steph for a “deadly calmness” that most fans—and even many players—failed to grasp.
- Kobe’s Assessment: “He’s not up, he’s not down… he’s just there. When you mix that calmness with those skills, you have a serious problem.”
- Steph’s Response: “Kob’ did an interview once… it’s one of my favorite comments about me in terms of how he saw the killer instinct behind the smile. I can have fun, but I’m out there to rip your heart out.”
| The “Assassin” Traits | Kobe Bryant (The Mamba) | Steph Curry (The Chef) |
| Preparation | The Art of War; first in/last out. | Born into the lifestyle; elite conditioning. |
| On-Court Vibe | Expressionless; aggressive intensity. | Joyful; “The Baby-Faced Assassin.” |
| Psychology | Overt intimidation and “darkness.” | “Deadly calmness” and poise. |
| Common Ground | The desire to “rip your heart out.” | Unmatched skill + Mental fortitude. |
2025 Retrospective: The Legacy of Mentality
Today, the “mental assassin” approach is a recognized discipline. In 2025, we see this in stars who balance skill with psychological durability. J.R. Reid’s 2017 session reminded us that whether you’re reading Sun Tzu or destroying a defense with a three-pointer and a shimmy, the foundation of greatness is the same: total mental immersion.
As J.R. Reid told me:
“When a little kid has form, you can tell. But the dedication is what makes them special.”
In 2025, both Kobe and Steph are remembered not just for their stats, but for the “buttoned-up” mental preparation that allowed them to outlast everyone else.
