A meeting of sports minds is always a fascinating event. It is why podcasts like “Mind the Game,” featuring LeBron James and JJ Redick (now with Steve Nash instead), were such a phenomenon. But when fans get to see two of the all-time greats sit down and talk about their experiences, it is an enriching and eye-opening experience.
That is what fans got when two of the greatest coaches in football history, Nick Saban and Bill Belichick, sat down to talk about their experiences with the gridiron. However, their conversation went in a multitude of directions, including a special conversation that the duo shared with the late great Kobe Bryant.
What Nick Saban and Bill Belichick Learned From Lakers Legend Kobe Bryant
The two head coaches are arguably the greatest at their respective levels — collegiate and professional football. While Belichick was the architect of the New England Patriots’ dynasty that won six Super Bowls, Nick Saban left an indelible mark on the college scene.
Saban won seven National Championships and 11 SEC Championships while laying claim to two College Football Coach of the Year awards during stints at LSU and Alabama. The two legendary coaches sat down in conversation for a special on NFL Films and the talk invariably went to their meeting with Bryant.
Saban was the first one to bring up the Lakers’ legend, remembering the time he came to talk to his team. “He said, ‘I knew I could never be perfect, but I was always cutting the gap between where I was and perfect. And I knew I could never get there, but it didn’t matter. I always wanted to be the best player.'”
WHOLESOME: Bill Belichick & Nick Saban talking about the lessons Kobe Bryant taught them
“I worked 8 hours a day for 365 days a year, so I can get through that season when I was 40 years old, they don't put that part of ESPN.”
Damn, this video hits 🥺
pic.twitter.com/TjMi8m0xAQ— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 12, 2025
In response, one of his players asked Bryant, “How did you score 60 points in the last game that you played?” Bryant had the perfect response, “I worked eight hours a day for 365 days a year, so I can get through that season when I was 40 years old, they don’t put that part of ESPN.”
Belichick also couldn’t help but recall the time the five-time NBA Champion met the New England team to impart some wisdom.”The other thing he said to us, which was an awesome message was, ‘When I was 25, I could go out and score 30. When I was 35,38, I could score 30 but it wasn’t the same way. I had to learn how to play without the ball. I had to learn how to play in less space. I had to learn how to use picks differently. I couldn’t just drive to the basket like I could in my younger days. I could still score, but I had to change my game.'”
According to the man widely regarded as the greatest coach in NFL history, the entire experience was “enlightening.”
Belichick said: “I would say for all our players that heard that. Because you’re sitting there looking at his career, and we’re all thinking about ours, it’s changed for me just like it’s changed for the players.”
Bryant went on to win a league MVP and five NBA Championships in his NBA career after joining the league as a 17-year-old in 1996. For 20 years, he amazed audiences, as he became a symbol of perseverance and adaptability.