Jamie Foxx’s Jokes Motivated Kobe Bryant To Get His 5th Championship Ring

Jamie Foxx’s Jokes Motivated Kobe Bryant To Get His 5th Championship Ring

Grammy and Oscar winner Jamie Foxx has revealed that some of his jokes actually served as a source of motivation for the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant in the quest to obtain his fifth championship ring. While speaking with host Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he reminisced on memories made with 2020 Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant who tragically died in a horrific helicopter crash in January.

Jamie Foxx recalled how the two of them would always take some comedic jabs at one another.

I remember he came to see my show, when I was doing a show in Los Angeles, and my whole group was Lakers fans. Now, obviously, I was a Mavericks fan. And Kobe said, ‘Mavericks? Mavericks? I thought you was a winner.’ So [from there] we started going after each other, back and forth.

Jamie Foxx says that he would make other little comments, which apparently were hilarious but also motivating. The actor and musician added that Kobe Bryant actually ended up leaving his concert to work on drills!

“Kobe says, ‘I ain’t even going to stay for your show. I’m going to go work out.’ He went across the street, because it was the Staples Center, and he started working out. After that we started texting, going back and forth, and I said, ‘You ain’t going to be ready for the season, what’s up with Ron Artest?’ All these different things. I say, ‘You ain’t going to make it,’ and he texts me back. He says, ‘Do you have some water? You’re gonna need it ’cause you’re gonna choke on my fifth ring.'”

Kobe Bryant went on to earn that fifth and final championship ring back on June 17, 2010 after beating the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Jamie Foxx ended with,

“That’s a story that I could say that when you look at the lay of the land, and what has transpired, how he was taken from us so fast, man, I cherish that story.”