Kobe Bryant and the Small Stars: Working Hard Every Day
Quality checked lesson
Kobe Bryant played 20 years for the Los Angeles Lakers and won five NBA championships. Muggsy Bogues and Spud Webb were very short, but they were stars too.
English lesson
Article
Choose how to use this lesson
You can switch anytime.
Study mode
Introduction
Typing practice
Type the text exactly. Timer starts with your first key.
Text to type: Kobe Bryant played 20 years for the Los Angeles Lakers and won five NBA championships. Muggsy Bogues and Spud Webb were very short, but they were stars too.
Ready. The timer starts with your first key.
Complete
Great job!
Strong finish — your speed stayed steady.
Your rhythm
Speed over time- Time
- 0:00
- Raw speed
- 0 WPM
- Wrong keys
- 0
- Corrected
- 0
Before you begin
Warm-up
What sport or game do you play again and again after school?
Who is a person you look up to, and what do they do well?
When was a time you kept trying after a hard day?
Part 1: Who Kobe Bryant wasReading
Part 1: Who Kobe Bryant was
Typing practice
Type the text exactly. Timer starts with your first key.
Text to type: Kobe Bryant was a famous basketball player. He was born on August 23, 1978. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers. The Los Angeles Lakers are a team in the NBA. The NBA is the big basketball league in the United States. Kobe Bryant played 20 years in the NBA. He played all 20 years with the same team, the Los Angeles Lakers. That is a long time with one team. Kobe Bryant died on January 26, 2020. Many people still remember him.
Ready. The timer starts with your first key.
Complete
Great job!
Strong finish — your speed stayed steady.
Your rhythm
Speed over time- Time
- 0:00
- Raw speed
- 0 WPM
- Wrong keys
- 0
- Corrected
- 0
Check your understanding
Check: Part 1: Who Kobe Bryant was
1. How many years did Kobe Bryant play with the Los Angeles Lakers?
Sample answer
He played 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers. It was his whole NBA career.
Reading
Part 2: The big wins of Kobe Bryant
Typing practice
Type the text exactly. Timer starts with your first key.
Text to type: Kobe Bryant won a lot. He won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. A championship means the team was the best team that year. In 2008, he was the NBA MVP. MVP means the most valuable player, the best player of the season. In 1997, he won the Slam Dunk Contest. In the Slam Dunk Contest, players jump high and try big dunks. Kobe Bryant also played for the U.S. team. He won two Olympic gold medals, in 2008 and in 2012.
Ready. The timer starts with your first key.
Complete
Great job!
Strong finish — your speed stayed steady.
Your rhythm
Speed over time- Time
- 0:00
- Raw speed
- 0 WPM
- Wrong keys
- 0
- Corrected
- 0
Check your understanding
Check: Part 2: The big wins of Kobe Bryant
1. In which years did Kobe Bryant win Olympic gold medals?
Sample answer
He won Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012 with the U.S. team.
Part 3: Mamba MentalityReading
Part 3: Mamba Mentality
Typing practice
Type the text exactly. Timer starts with your first key.
Text to type: People called Kobe Bryant the Black Mamba. A black mamba is a fast, strong snake. The name shows how he played. From this name comes the idea of Mamba Mentality. Mamba Mentality means work hard every day and keep trying. It is not only about game day. It is about every practice, every morning, every small step. A student in a school club can use Mamba Mentality too. Come to practice every day. Try again after a miss. Get a little better each time.
Ready. The timer starts with your first key.
Complete
Great job!
Strong finish — your speed stayed steady.
Your rhythm
Speed over time- Time
- 0:00
- Raw speed
- 0 WPM
- Wrong keys
- 0
- Corrected
- 0
Check your understanding
Check: Part 3: Mamba Mentality
1. What does Mamba Mentality mean in simple words?
Sample answer
Mamba Mentality means work hard every day and keep trying, not only on game day.
Think one step further
What is one thing you could practice every day for one month, and how would you keep going on a tired day?
Reading
Part 4: Muggsy Bogues, the shortest NBA player
Typing practice
Type the text exactly. Timer starts with your first key.
Text to type: Basketball players are often very tall. Muggsy Bogues was not. He was about 5 feet 3 inches tall, or 1.60 meters. He is the shortest player ever in the NBA. He was born on January 9, 1965. He played 14 seasons in the NBA. He played about 10 seasons with the Charlotte Hornets. He was a point guard. A point guard starts the plays and passes the ball. Muggsy Bogues was strong at passes and steals. He did not need height. He used speed and smart hands.
Ready. The timer starts with your first key.
Complete
Great job!
Strong finish — your speed stayed steady.
Your rhythm
Speed over time- Time
- 0:00
- Raw speed
- 0 WPM
- Wrong keys
- 0
- Corrected
- 0
Check your understanding
Check: Part 4: Muggsy Bogues, the shortest NBA player
1. How tall is Muggsy Bogues, and what was he strong at?
Sample answer
He is about 5 feet 3 inches, or 1.60 meters. He was strong at passes and steals.
Part 5: Spud Webb and the big dunkReading
Part 5: Spud Webb and the big dunk
Typing practice
Type the text exactly. Timer starts with your first key.
Text to type: Spud Webb was also short. He is about 5 feet 7 inches tall, or 1.70 meters. He was born on July 13, 1963. He was a point guard, like Muggsy Bogues. He played for the Atlanta Hawks and other teams. In 1986, Spud Webb won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. A short man beat the tall players at jumping. So two short stars show two paths. Muggsy Bogues used skill, passes, and steals. Spud Webb used big jumps and dunks. Both worked hard every day. Both used Mamba Mentality before the name existed.
Ready. The timer starts with your first key.
Complete
Great job!
Strong finish — your speed stayed steady.
Your rhythm
Speed over time- Time
- 0:00
- Raw speed
- 0 WPM
- Wrong keys
- 0
- Corrected
- 0
Check your understanding
Check: Part 5: Spud Webb and the big dunk
1. What did Spud Webb win in 1986, and why is that surprising?
Sample answer
He won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1986. It is surprising because he is only about 5 feet 7 inches tall.
What you can do now
Final Reflection
Muggsy Bogues used skill and Spud Webb used jumping. In your own life, do you like to win with careful skill or with a big bold move, and why?
Learning cards
My cards
Kobe Bryant and the Small Stars: Working Hard Every Day
0 due · 0 new · about 1 min
Learn the sense first · then retrieve it
No saved cards yet
Open a word or phrase in the article and choose Save to My Words.
Focused Reading Mode is open.
Listening
Lesson audio
Listen from the beginning, or choose “Play this part” as you read along.
Reading
Part 1: Who Kobe Bryant was
Reading
Part 2: The big wins of Kobe Bryant
Reading
Part 3: Mamba Mentality
Reading
Part 4: Muggsy Bogues, the shortest NBA player
Reading
Part 5: Spud Webb and the big dunk
Finished listening?
Mark this listening practice complete when you have followed the lesson audio.
Listening complete
Listen Mode
Word-by-word syncPlay the audio and follow the highlighted word.
Article complete
Choose your next step
Open the next same-level lesson, replay the article, or save this page for later.
Listen Again
Replay the article once and notice how much more you understand.
One replay is enough. Then move on.