Gordon Hayward benefiting from valuable lesson Kobe Bryant taught him

by **bobheckler** Mon Feb 10, 2020 4:30 pm

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/gordon-hayward-benefiting-valuable-lesson-kobe-bryant-taught-him

Gordon Hayward benefiting from valuable lesson Kobe Bryant taught him

By Darren Hartwell

February 10, 2020 9:20 AM

Kobe Bryant is gone too soon, but his impact on the sport of basketball will persist for a long, long time.

Just ask Gordon Hayward.

After the Boston Celtics' 112-111 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, the veteran forward admitted the Los Angeles Lakers legend helped him with an essential part of his game: the mid-range jumper.

Celtics on NBC Sports Boston

@NBCSCeltics
When asked about the improvements to his midrange game, Gordon Hayward shares what he's learned from Kobe
https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1226656438484860928

3:57 PM - Feb 9, 2020

"Mid-range is all about using your legs, because a lot of times, you've got to be kind of fading or leaning one way or the other," Hayward told reporters.

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"That's actually something that Kobe was big on: You've got to have your strong legs, especially towards the end of the game. So, he taught me that. All of those shots are important to kind of power through your legs."

Hayward makes a living in the mid-range: 4.8 of his 13.1 shot attempts per game come from between five and 19 feet, per NBA.com, while the turnaround jumper has become a staple of his game.

Adam Kaufman

@AdamMKaufman
Gorgeous turnaround jumper from Gordon Hayward. These are becoming more and more rare in today’s #NBA. He’s been awesome the last few weeks. #Celtics

https://twitter.com/AdamMKaufman/status/1225226459645648897

5:15 PM - Feb 5, 2020

The 29-year-old is shooting a career-best 51.2 percent from the floor while playing 32.7 minutes per game -- the most since his horrific ankle injury in October 2017 -- suggesting he took Bryant's lesson of building strong legs to heart.

The NBA community has produced many moving tributes to Bryant, who died along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others in a Jan. 26 helicopter crash. But the best way to honor Kobe's legacy may be to emulate his best traits on the court.

bob

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