Richmond: Kobe loves basketball from the bottom of his heart. He is a person who can play in the park without paying money.

July 27th News Recently, former NBA star Mickey Richmond talked about Kobe Bryant's concentration in a podcast.

Richmond said: "Bryant Bryant is too focused, really. The first word I can think of is 'focus'. When you walk into the training hall, he's already here. He's still there when you leave. Early in the morning, late at night, away, in the hotel room, he's always focused.

"He wants to be the strongest and he's put in the same effort. People are always talking about talent, but he has a matching professional spirit. And he loves the sport. People always forget this - he loves basketball from the bottom of his heart. He is the kind of person who will play ball in the park even if he doesn't pay.

"I remember he would argue with Phil Jackson at the video analysis meeting. For example, he would say 'No, Phil, it's not like that'. He would tit-for-tat with Phil, but his purpose is always to be better. He didn't want to embarrass Phil, he just wanted to pursue the truth. That's Kobe. A tough guy. A very serious person. Being able to play with him is a blessing even at the end of my career."

In the 2001-02 season, Richmond played with Kobe for the Lakers.