LeBron James and other USA athletes illustrate the "Mamba Mentality" of Kobe Bryant during their redemption game against Spain in the 2008 Olympics
The 2008 "Redeem Team" is one of the most storied teams in the history of USA men's basketball, and it had Kobe Bryant as its leader.
On the heels of the 2004 Team USA's disappointing third-place finish at the Olympics, the program sought to return to its former glory. With coach Mike Krzyzewski taking the reigns, the program tapped Bryant to lead the locker room.
As one of the fiercest competitors ever, Bryant seemed like a natural fit as the program looked to win gold once more. With the leadership duo of Bryant in the locker room and Krzyzewski on the bench, the 2008 "Redeem Team" won gold once more for the United States.
Ahead of the release of a Netflix documentary about the "Redeem Team," several of Bryant's teammates spoke about his mentality.
"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." — LeBron James
"He was like, 'No, he ain't my teammate right now. F**k him. Get up." — Carmelo Anthony
The pair were, of course, referencing Pau Gasol, Bryant's LA Lakers teammate. The duo of Bryant and Gasol had then recently completed their first season together. With Gasol playing for Spain, Bryant made it clear he wasn't going to pull any punches on his new teammate.
Kobe Bryant: "Redeem Team" captain
Getting the opportunity to lead the "Redeem Team" helped Kobe Bryant cement his place as the LA Lakers locker room leader. The following season, with the Lakers, Bryant and Pau Gasol captured the NBA title. For both, playing for their countries helped them evolve as players.
After "Redeem Team" won all five of its group games. The No. 1-seeded Team USA met Australia in the first round. USA won the contest 116-85 and met Argentina in the semifinals, where they captured another dominant 101-81 win. In the final, Bryant and the U.S. met Gasol and Spain in a highly anticipated showdown. Team USA won gold with a 118-107 victory.
With the team's mission a success, the storied basketball program returned to its former glory. Since then, the program has continued its winning ways, capturing gold in every subsequent Olympics.
Check out the trailer for the documentary below, which will be released on Oct. 7:
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
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