Kobe Bryant’s ‘mamba mentality’ inspired Sabrina Ionescu’s Game 3 dagger, says Stephen A. Smith
New York Liberty superstar Sabrina Ionescu channeled her inner Kobe Bryant to win game 3 of the WNBA Finals, according to Stephen A. Smith.
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Kobe Bryant was a mentor for New York Liberty and WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu
Sabrina Ionescu‘s brilliant game three winner caught the sporting world by storm. The last-ditch effort capped off a brilliant come-from-behind win for the New York Liberty in the WNBA finals. But that shot did not show how she struggled in the first half.
Pointing to a mentality that elite players possess which helps them in clutch moments. Stephen A. Smith watching this saw something similar to Kobe Bryant The ESPN analyst, speaking about the WNBA Finals, spoke about Sabrina Ionescu‘s unreal game winner. Smith highlighted the influence Bryant has had on the Liberty star and how she channeled his mentality in that moment.
When I saw her step to that side and drill that three and then react the way that she did like, ‘Yeah this is what I do’, I thought about Kobe Bryant. It’s because he loved that girl, and she loved him. Because of what he meant to her, what a role model he was to her. For her to hit that shot, in that moment, with so much on the line, I have no doubt…..that brother was on her mind.
Stephen A. Smith said
"It's that mamba mentality." 🐍 @andraya_carter and @stephenasmith say Sabrina's clutch game-winner reminds them of her mentor and friend Kobe Bryant 💜 pic.twitter.com/ys1UpTY5o1
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 17, 2024
With the WNBA Finals tied at one apiece, the New York Liberty went on the road looking for a win in game 3. But the Napheesa Collier-led Minnesota Lynx put up a defensive clinic to subdue the likes of Ionescu and her teammates as they raced ahead for a lead.
But in the closing stages, the fourth-year star took over as she launched shot after shot. Then she channeled her ‘mamba mentality’ and launched that three-point shot to ice the game to take the series lead.
Sabrina Ionescu wore a Kobe Bryant gift before the game
After Stephen A. Smith spoke, analyst Andraya Carter chimed in with something that happened before the game. She pointed to the necklace Sabrina Ionescu was wearing, which was a gift from Kobe Bryant.
Holly Rowe interviewed Sabrina for our WNBA Countdown show. Sabrina wears this necklace that says “Geppetto”. And Geppetto is a nickname that Kobe gave Sabrina for being like a puppet master.
Andraya Carter said
Carter mentioned that the New York Liberty star was asked what it meant during the WNBA Countdown show. However, Ionescu did not disclose it and suggested that only those people who know about it will understand it.
Carter then explained that it was evident that the three-point record holder channeled her inner Kobe Bryant throughout the game. In that clutch moment, the Liberty star did not even need to score a three. Even a free throw would have clinched them the win.
But because Ionescu had the ‘mamba mentality’ in her, she chose to do what she does best – shoot lights out from distance with the game on the line. No wonder, many NBA stars were left dumbstruck by her taking that shot.
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Joseph Varghese
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