Every sportsperson has their own unique routine to get ready for the game. While some do it to prepare themselves mentally, others follow it for superstitious reasons. In fact, some pre-game rituals can even be considered quite bizarre. When it comes to winning, players tend to follow just about anything and everything they feel would help them out. Even one of the greatest basketball players of all time had a ritual of his own.

Many might not know this but Michael Jordan used to wear his North Carolina college shorts during his games. His Airness would wear his college shorts underneath his Chicago Bulls uniform at every game he played. Similarly, tennis legend Rafael Nadal preferred his water bottles to be kept perfectly aligned with one another and the labels needed to face the baseline he was playing from. If you thought that was weird, what would you say about NBA champion Jason Terry? Former Dallas Mavericks player Jason Terry would always sleep in one of his opponents’ shorts the night before a game.

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Former Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was no different from the rest when it came to pre-game rituals. While it’s not a superstitious ritual, the Black Mamba followed a certain routine before every game.

Vanessa Bryant shares a clip of Kobe Bryant from an old interview

As Halloween is just around the corner, Vanessa Bryant shared a throwback video of Kobe Bryant on her Instagram. The video was from an old interview with Patrick Bet-David. At the end of the interview, Bet-David asked Bryant how he was able to prepare himself before the game. The host said that people often get worried about what others would think about them.

Therefore, he asked Kobe how would he switch his mindset and become the ‘Black Mamba’. Bryant said that it is like an actor getting ready for his shot. Giving the example of Maximus Decimus Meridius, the titular character from the Gladiator movie, Kobe said that when you are put in the cage you become a different character. During the conversation, he also revealed a rather interesting fact about himself.

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“This kind of makes me seem very psychotic but whatever. I used to play the Halloween theme song over and over and over in my headphones. Seriously. And it was important that it was Michael Myers, because the mask itself was devoid of emotion. It has nothing to do with hype, it has nothing to do with camaraderie. Stone-cold killer,” said Bryant.

Evidently, the song would help Kobe get into a “killer mode”, the kind that would ward off opponents. Bryant said that when he would get in the zone, it was always best for his opponents to run. Interestingly, Vanessa shared the clip on her Instagram story and also posted a photo of herself with the Halloween theme song playing in the background.

WATCH THIS STORY: How Lakers Legend Kobe Bryant Inspired UCLA Softball Star Megan Faraimo’s Injury Return: “This Is My Kobe Moment, I’m Going to Come Back From This” 

What is your favorite athlete’s pre-game ritual? Let us know in the comments below.