"Kobe said, 'I'm running through Pau's f**king chest'" - 'Redeem Team' documentary shows LeBron James opening up on Kobe Bryant's mamba mentality
Kobe Bryant and LeBron James were teammates on the 2008 US Men's Olympic basketball team. They were members of the squad that earned the nickname "The Redeem Team." The team was put together in response to the US's bronze medal finish at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The third-place finish in Athens was the first instance of US NBA players not winning the gold medal at the Olympics.
Bryant wanted to set the tone for his team, highlighting that Gasol may be an NBA teammate, but he was an adversary in the tournament. James shared insight into Bryant's famous "Mamba mentality in this latest teaser."
"Kobe said he gonna set the tone at the start of the game. And he said, 'I'm running through Pau's f**king chest,'" James said.
LeBron responded that Bryant was bluffing. He thought Bryant wasn't going to play hard against his NBA teammate. But on the game's first play versus Spain, Kobe Bryant walked the talk. He ran straight through Gasol as the forward set a screen on Bryant. James was shocked by Bryant's play. He said:
"We was like, 'Holy S**t.'"
You can watch the moment in this teaser:
The Redeem Team (led by Kobe Bryant @KingJames @DwyaneWade & @carmeloanthony) is the untold story of the 2008 US Men’s Olympic basketball team who had everything to lose — and everything to prove.
The Redeem Team premieres October 7 https://t.co/6YPv9pihkn
Netflix will bring the behind-the-scenes story of the 2008 Redeem Team on October 7 to viewers worldwide. Featuring Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony, the 2008 US men's squad had an impressive array of basketball talent. Millions of basketball fans eagerly await the soon-to-be-released documentary.
The opportunity to see raw footage of the late Kobe Bryant is one of the main selling points of the documentary. Bryant died in a helicopter crash along with eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter, in January 2020. Millions of fans continue to grieve his early death. The Redeem Team documentary offers all Bryant loyalists the opportunity to witness his greatness again.
Netflix is building on the Bryant legend. Another documentary teaser focuses on Bryant clashing against his then Los Angeles Lakers teammate Pau Gasol. The two faced off in a Spain versus US group stage game. At that tournament stage, Spain and the US were undefeated, having won each of their respective three group games.
LEBRON: "Kobe said, 'I'm running through Pau's f****g chest.' Man, you trippin. That's your teammate. You ain't about to do that."
MELO: "He was like, 'No, he ain't my teammate right now. F**k him. Get up.'"
#RedeemTeam @Netflix
https://t.co/Z05ggRYst6
Kobe Bryant won two NBA rings with Pau Gasol
Bryant and Gasol were teammates with the LA Lakers for over six seasons, between 2008 and 2014. The two players won two NBA titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. In the documentary teaser, Bryant commented on their relationship.
"We're like brothers. We're very close," Bryant said.
But when it came to competing against Gasol at the 2008 Olympics, there was no holding Bryant back from winning. As Gasol says of the play where Bryant sent him to the floor:
"He just went right to the middle of my chest, tried to get through me to send a message, not just to me but to his teammates, saying, 'Hey, this might be my brother. I play with him, we're close. But I don't care about anything else but winning,'" Gasol said.