1 . Kobe Bryant is no doubt a legend. How did he do it? Simply put his work principle. He showed up to training every day, no excuses. Without a doubt, it is quite evident that Kobe’s desire for success was directly correlated with his work principle.

Kobe Bryant’s work principle is what helped him become the legend he is today. But what also must be understood about Kobe Bryant is that he was relentless (不停的；严格的). He had a mental toughness and steely focus that was driven by his over-the-top competitiveness.

In short, Kobe wanted to be the best, and would do whatever it took to achieve this mental goal. If he had a weakness in one area, he would commit to mastering that weakness. If there was a lack of strength in his shot, he would get to work exhausting all options to correct that lack of strength, researching and then applying the routines that instructed him on how to get stronger. Similarly, if his weakness was a lack of   speed, he would put in the time and effort to overcome the limitation. And there lies his secret to success. The willingness to learn and then apply what he learned to move himself closer to his goals.

“When I am retired, I don’t want to have to say I wish I would have done more. I don’t want that.”— Kobe Bryant.

As such, Kobe Bryant’s success principle can be summarized as a relentless focus on the end result. The great news is the ability to be relentless is in all of you.

3 . Kevin Durant is one of the best players to play the game of basketball. He has won championships in the National Basketball Association (NBA) all through his life. He has won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player _________. But it is not just his feats on the court that make him _________. It is where he came from and what he had to _________ that make the man unique.  

Durant grew up in Washington D.C.. His father left his _________ when he was very young. So, his mum raised him as a _________ parent when he was very young. Times were hard.  

Despite the challenges, there was always a lot of love and support in his family. His mum wrote a note that _________ over Kevin’s bed: “Always _________ that anything is possible.” 

Kevin was very tall at an early age. And he liked basketball. So when he was about 10 years old and told his mum that he _________ of being an NBA player, she did _________ she could to help him.  

He worked very hard at improving himself. He failed many times but kept getting up. For 6 years __________, he practised basketball 8 hours a day except from doing his homework and __________ for his school teams.  

But it was not just practising hard that __________ him the man he is today. From his mum and family, he __________ to always be kind and humble.  

Now that Kevin has achieved so much success on the __________, he has focused a lot of his time on __________. His foundation helps to fight homelessness, build basketball courts in low-income areas and help at-risk children go to college.

THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

Near the small town of Grottoes, Virginia, a narrow dirt road goes from the house of Stephen Curry's grandfather to the woods nearby. A far cry from the bright lights and shiny courts of the National Basketball Association (NBA),   it was along this road that Stephen's grandfather built a simple basket by attaching a piece of plastic to a telephone pole.

Like his father, basketball star Dell Curry, Stephen spent many childhood hours playing on this muddy basketball court. He probably didn't realise it at the time, but it was where he learnt to be creative and flexible as a player. You see, with every shot, the weak plastic backboard gave way. The bumps and rocks that lined the road under the basket caused the ball to bounce in all directions. Knowing where the ball would go wasn't easy. He had to adjust his own playing style as a result. Shooting with great accuracy was another thing he learnt. Only shots perfectly aimed at its centre went into the heavy, thick basket. In this way, practising day in and day out helped Stephen sharpen his skills.

Despite his father's successful career, Stephen was thought by many people, including his high school teammates and coaches, to be too short, too thin and too weak to follow in his father's footsteps.   But Stephen carried on. Playing basketball was his dream. He would not give up. He finally ended up playing college ball at a small, little­known school, Davidson College, not too far from where he lived. His creativity and perseverance made him Davidson's star player.

Selected for the NBA in 2009, Stephen joined the Golden State Warriors. He performed beyond everyone's expectations with his accurate shooting and continuous efforts. In 2015, Stephen won his first NBA championship, and he led the Warriors to their first championship since 1975.

After receiving the Most Valuable Player award for two years in a row, Stephen explained his philosophy, “I never really set out to change the game... What I wanted to do was just be myself... I know it inspires a lot of the next generation, a lot of people who love the game of basketball to value the skill of it, value the fact that you can work every single day to get better. You've got to be able to put in the time and the work. That's how I got here. That's how I continue to get better every single day. ” Inspiring others to believe in themselves, Stephen Curry is living proof that what other people think of you does not have to influence what you become. Through self­belief, hard work, perseverance and some help from an old hoop, he has shown that anything is possible.

LIVING LEGENDS

Help us choose some “Living Legends of Sports”. They must be athletes who are masters in their sports and also set good examples for others. Here are our first two choices.

As a player, Lang Ping brought honour and glory to her country. As a coach, she led the China women’s volleyball team to medals at world championships and the Olympics. As a person, Lang Ping is loved by fans at home and abroad. When the Chinese team was preparing for the 2015 World Cup, her determination was tested. The team that Lang Ping had built was falling apart. One of the best players had been injured, and the team captain had to leave because of heart problems. Losing two important players was a big challenge, but Lang Ping did not lose heart. She had faced difficulties before, and she knew that her young players could win if they worked together as a team. Two weeks later, they were world champions! Then in 2016, Lang Ping led her volleyball team to Olympic gold in Brazil.

When Michael Jordan’s feet left the ground, time seemed to stand still. The player who became known as “Air Jordan” changed basketball with his graceful moves and jumps. Jordan’s skills were impressive, but the mental strength that he showed made him unique. In the final seconds of a game, Jordan always seemed to find a way to win. Jordan says that the secret to his success is learning from his failures. “I can accept failure; everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” Losing games taught him to practise harder and never give up. In life, Jordan has learnt to share his success with others. The Boys and Girls Club which he started in Chicago has been helping young people since 1996.

Send your suggestions for “Living Legends of Sports” to LLS@sports.net.