Nick Saban reflects on Kobe Bryant speech to Alabama Football, applies to 2022 team

The late great Kobe Bryant inspired more people than he could’ve imagined during his life. The Hall of Famer was notorious for his work ethic and the ways he pushed himself, even during all-time success. That kind of greatness can rub off on fellow athletes. Nick Saban was hoping for exactly that for this season’s Alabama team when discussing a message Bryant shared years ago.

Saban discussed a trip Bryant made to Tuscaloosa in 2018 during his radio show on Thursday night. He said Bryant told the team he was never focused on being perfect but, rather, getting as close to it as he could. That never-ending chase made him the relentless worker everyone knew him as. It’s also something Saban wants to instill in his current players.

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“I think one of the things Kobe Bryant said when he was here and talked to the team which resonated with me was he said, ‘I can’t be perfect, but I’m gonna close the gap on perfect as much as I can.’ Which means I’m always working to get better. I’m always trying to be better than I was the day before,” said Saban. “He was very committed to that and that’s probably what made him a great player. Most great players are committed that way. They’re never satisfied.”

Whether he was 18 as a rookie or 37 and on his last leg, Bryant prepared the same. That’s the sort of lust that wins you five championships and earns you a spot as a Top-5 scorer in the history of the NBA. It’s all about those details, though. Saban wants his players to be laser-focused on the things Bryant taught about preparation, consistency, and mental state.

“(Great players) don’t get complacent about what they did yesterday and how well they did it. They don’t let things like what they say about them in the media of who they’re playing affect how they play. Because they’re motivated from the inside out in terms of them wanting to be the best. They’ve got their head in the right place, their heart in the right place in terms of what they want to accomplish and what they want to do,” said Saban. “It really is about how you play all the time, how you perform, and how you can play with consistency. That’s the challenge.”

Nick Saban’s tenure at Alabama is about as perfect as it gets in college football. With that said, his teams haven’t won the national title every year no matter how much it feels like they have. Even this season’s team has flaws right now. That leaves it up to Saban and his team to put Bryant’s teachings into practice. Bryant may be gone too soon but his legacy lives on in lessons like these that continue to build athletes, including the Tide’s, up to where they aspire to be one day.