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Cover of The Mamba Mentality: How I Play by Kobe BryantThe Mamba Mentality: How I Play
Modern · Nonfiction, Biography

The Mamba Mentality: How I Play

by Kobe Bryant
2018 · 244 pages · Nonfiction
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 6 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Kobe Bryant, the NBA great nicknamed the Black Mamba, shares his approach to the game: how he prepared physically and mentally, studied opponents, and pushed himself to succeed, alongside photographs of his career.

Why it's worth reading

It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and spent 30 weeks on the lists. It's a revealing look at one of basketball's greatest competitors.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's a large, photo-heavy book with short essays. It was published two years before his death.

By the numbers

69.3Must-Read Score
  • Readers63 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller42 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (1 week at #1)30 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2018

Reads as

True story

How we rank

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Explore the best-of lists

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Quick answers

Is The Mamba Mentality: How I Play worth reading?

Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and spent 30 weeks on the lists. It ranks #1,377 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.3 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Mamba Mentality: How I Play about?

Kobe Bryant, the NBA great nicknamed the Black Mamba, shares his approach to the game: how he prepared physically and mentally, studied opponents, and pushed himself to succeed, alongside photographs of his career.

How long does it take to read The Mamba Mentality: How I Play?

About 6 hours (244 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Mamba Mentality: How I Play?

If you liked it, try Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth or Open by Andre Agassi.