Inspired by Kobe

Although Kobe Bryant is no longer with us, his unbreakable will on and off the basketball court lives on. This month, it was announced that the late superstar would be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a prestigious honor for basketball’s best. Alongside Bryant, eight others will be inducted at a ceremony on Aug 29.
尽管科比·布莱恩特离开了我们，但他在球场内外无可撼动的坚强意志永存。本月，这位已故巨星入选奈-史密斯篮球名人堂 —— 这是一项授予最佳篮球运动员的殊荣。科比与其他8人的名人堂入驻仪式将于今年8月29日举行。

“His fierce competitiveness, work ethic and drive were unmatched,” Jeanie Buss, owner of the Los Angles Lakes, told ESPN. “Those qualities helped Bryant lead us to five titles – and have now brought him to the Hall of Fame, where he will be enshrined with the greatest to have ever played the game. No one deserves it more.”
“他强烈的进取心、职业道德以及干劲无人能及，”洛杉矶湖人队的老板珍妮·巴斯在接受美国娱乐与体育电视台采访时如此表示。“这些品质让科比带领着我们获得了5次总冠军 —— 如今又令他入选名人堂，与入驻其中的最伟大的球员们一道被共同铭记。实至名归。”

Indeed, what elevated Bryant above his peers was his unmatchable commitment to be the best. He was ruthless in his pursuit to dominate his opponents. He called it the “mamba mentality” after the black mamba, one of the world’s deadliest snakes – and also after the top killer from the 2003 movie Kill Bill, according to The New Yorker.
的确，科比无与伦比的坚持与投入令他从一众球星中脱颖而出。他拥有不超越对手绝不罢休的坚定信念。据《纽约客》杂志报道，科比将这一信念称为“曼巴精神”，“曼巴”一词取自世界上最致命的毒蛇之一“黑曼巴”，以及2003年电影《杀死比尔》中的顶级杀手之名。

The mamba mentality became so popular that Bryant detailed his process in his book The Mamba Mentality: How I Play. In it, he revealed his famously detailed approach as well as his physical and mental preparation to not just succeed at the game, but to excel.
“曼巴精神”大受欢迎，科比也在其所著的《曼巴精神：我是如何打球的》一书中详细讲述了自己的心路历程。书中，他详细解读了著名的“曼巴精神“，以及自己为在比赛中超水平发挥所做的生理和心理上的准备，而不仅仅是在比赛中获胜。

“Mamba mentality is all about focusing on the process and trusting in the hard work when it matters most,” he wrote in the book. “It’s the ultimate mantra for the competitive spirit. It started just as a hashtag that came to me one day, and it’s grown into something athletes – and even non-athletes – embrace as a mindset.”
“曼巴精神就是关注过程，并在最关键的时刻相信天道酬勤，”他在书中如此写道。“这是竞技精神的终极法则。一开始这只是我某一天所看到的一个话题标签，后来便逐渐成为被运动员 —— 甚至是非运动员们 —— 广为接受的一种心态。”

Bryant took after one of basketball’s most legendary players, Michael Jordan, not only with regard to Jordan’s playing style, but his competitive nature.
科比与篮坛一大传奇球星迈克尔·乔丹无论在打球风格还是进取心态上都极为相似。

“I liked challenging people and making them uncomfortable,” Bryant wrote in an excerpt published on the Players’ Tribune. “That’s what leads to introspection and that’s what leads to improvement. You could say I dared people to be their best selves.”
“我喜欢挑战他人，让他们产生危机感，”科比在《球员论坛》上发布的一段摘录中如此写道。“这能让人自省，让人进步。可以说，我激励他们做最好的自己。”

Though many were shocked and sad when the Los Angles great died in a helicopter crash in January, all signs point to Bryant’s legacy persisting for generations to come. Whether you’re a basketball player or not, you can’t deny the Kobe’s power to inspire you to be your best self.
尽管这位洛杉矶巨星今年1月在一场直升机事故中丧生的消息令无数人震惊悲痛，但一切迹象都表明，科比给人们留下的精神依然影响着一代又一代人。不论你是否是篮球运动员，你都无法否认科比的力量，它激励你成为最好的自己。

以上文章内容选自《21世纪学生英文报高中版》，详情请见《21世纪学生英文报高中版》高二789期