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I was reading an article just the other day about Kobe talking about how he'd memorized the referees handbooks about where they were supposed to be on the floor
by dpeck 7y ago
I was reading an article just the other day about Kobe talking about how he'd memorized the referees handbooks about where they were supposed to be on the floor for given player positions/times/etc, and how he would use that to be in the blind spots. (in fairness probably some level of exaggeration there, but given his stats and the way he got calls/no calls to go his way so much more often than not, there is something to it)
The man had an exceptional level of focus for his craft, and he paired that with natural talent and hard work to become a legend on the court.
“I made a point of reading the referee’s handbook. One of the rules I gleaned from it was that each referee has a designated slot where he is supposed to be on the floor. If the ball, for instance, is in place W, referees X, Y, and Z each have an area on the court assigned to them. ...When they do that, it creates dead zones, areas on the floor where they can’t see certain things. I learned where those zones were, and I took advantage of them. I would get away with holds, travels, and all sorts of minor violations simply because I took the time to understand the officials’ limitations.”
- majos 7y agoCurious, does anyone know where these spots are? My understanding is that the referees basically move in a fluid triangle [1]. But I also don't know of a public NBA referee's handbook. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_(basketball)#Positions_and_responsibilities https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_(basketball)#Position...
- bradj 7y agoIf the ball is at the top of the key, it can sometimes be easy to get away with something in the corner on the weak side. The Trail/Center might both be paying attention to the ball. Most of the blind spots occur when the ball is transitioning coverage areas or when the Lead (baseline ref) initiates a rotation.
- jaxelr 7y agoCare to share the link to the article?
- dpeck 7y agoFound it https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-describes-how-he-studied-the-referees-handbook-to-gain-an-advantage-over-the-opposing-teams/ https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-describes-how-...
- indecisive_user 7y agoSomething similar happens in soccer, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was true in basketball as well. If your back is to the referee, you know you're probably going to get away with a discreet handball or a bit of a jersey tug because the ref simply can't see it. And once you've played enough games, it's not too hard to keep track of which direction you're facing in relation to the ref since they have a general radius of the field they stay in.
- lisper 7y agoIt's not just soccer and basketball, it's life in general.
- nikofeyn 7y agoanother explanation on why he gets away with stuff is just that he's kobe (skilled and a top marketed player). i know lebron isn't reading the handbooks, and he can walk from half-court on a break away fast break without getting a travel call. that's because he's lebron (can't dribble and is a top marketed player).
- tomhoward 7y agoThere is an EconTalk episode from 2013 about this phenomenon: “Munger on Sports, Norms, Rules, and the Code” https://www.econtalk.org/munger-on-sports-norms-rules-and-the-code/ https://www.econtalk.org/munger-on-sports-norms-rules-and-th...
- CalChris 7y agoThat doesn't really happen. In fact Russell Westbrook, an MVP in his own right, did it and got called for it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm0t31ZNQIQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm0t31ZNQIQ
- nikofeyn 7y agois that example really showing what you mean to show? i have seen it many times before. just note how insanely long it took to make that call. there's somewhere between five and seven steps before the whistle was blown. > That doesn't really happen. unless you're joking.
- ssivark 7y agoLOL, if you want a dozen examples of traveling and double dribble, look at the top-ten highlight reel for any week. It's crazy how there will often be multiple examples of violation in a single play!
- intuitionist 7y agoIt’s easy to forget how much of top-level pro sports is a mental game. Kobe was incredibly gifted at the mental game of basketball, maybe the greatest of all time. There’s an oft-reposted GIF of Matt Barnes faking an inbounds pass right at Kobe’s face, and Kobe not even blinking. I watched him talk about his VC work some last year, and it’s clear that his intelligence and focus translated off the court as well. It’s truly tragic that we will never get to know what else Kobe Bryant could have done with that intelligence and focus.
- jb775 7y agoHe was an artist like that, truly a master of his craft. He inspired me throughout my childhood and I had the pleasure of meeting him once, taking this loss pretty hard.
- avip 7y agoSome top athletes are really gifted in a straightforward way. There are vids of Lebron reciting game scenes in details. I can't recite bash commands I'm repeating daily.