New Footage of Kobe Bryant Emerges: Unseen Training Session with Jayson Tatum Leaves Fans Emotional, Reliving the Mamba Mentality

By Marcus Hale, Sports Correspondent Boston, MA – November 3, 2025

New footage of Kobe Bryant has emerged, showcasing moments that fans have never seen before, and it’s leaving everyone emotional as they relive his incredible legacy. This rare glimpse into Kobe’s life and career captures his relentless work ethic, passion for the game, and the profound impact he had on those around him. As fans watch these heartfelt moments, they are reminded of the Mamba mentality that inspired millions. Join us in celebrating the legacy of one of basketball’s greatest icons and experience the emotions that come with honoring his unforgettable journey.

The clip, unveiled Tuesday at TD Garden during a promotional event for trainer Drew Hanlen’s new book Stop Bull——– Yourself, captures a private 2018 workout session between Bryant and then-rookie Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. Hanlen, a renowned skills coach who has worked with Tatum since his pre-draft days, shared the 4-minute-47-second video exclusively with ESPN, describing it as “a time capsule of mentorship that Kobe wanted to keep sacred.” The footage, shot on Hanlen’s personal camera in a dimly lit Los Angeles gym, shows Bryant—then 39 and in the twilight of his post-championship career—dissecting Tatum’s footwork with the precision of a surgeon.

Tatum, now 27 and a three-time All-Star leading the Celtics’ 2025 championship charge, enters the frame wide-eyed, his lanky frame dwarfed by Bryant’s imposing presence. “I was shocked,” Tatum later confessed in a post-event interview, his voice cracking with rare vulnerability. “I remember seeing him walk through the door and being like ‘oh sh*t…I just couldn’t believe my idol and the person I wanted to be like was here.” The session unfolds with Bryant barking corrections: “Your pivot’s lazy—commit like it’s Game 7, or the league eats you alive.” Tatum nods, sweat-slicked, attempting a hesitation dribble that Bryant counters with a lightning steal, followed by a mid-air tutorial on defensive stance. “Mamba out,” Bryant quips after draining a fadeaway, flashing that trademark grin—equal parts predator and professor.

The video’s release, timed to coincide with the NBA’s All-Star voting kickoff, has struck a chord deeper than mere nostalgia. Posted to X by ESPN’s Daniel Donabedian, it amassed 12 million views in 24 hours, with #MambaMentors trending globally. Fans flooded comments with tears and tributes: “Kobe’s gone five years, but this feels like yesterday—still teaching us to grind,” wrote one user, attaching a screenshot of their home gym setup. Celebrities piled on: LeBron James reposted with a salute emoji and “Black Mamba forever,” while Lakers legend Magic Johnson called it “the essence of Kobe—building legacies beyond the court.”

Bryant’s influence on Tatum was no secret; the Duke alum has worn No. 0 in homage to his idol since 2017, citing Bryant’s 81-point game as his North Star. But this footage humanizes the icon, stripping away the highlight-reel sheen to reveal the quiet intensity that defined him. Hanlen, who orchestrated the session at Bryant’s request—”He saw JT’s potential and wouldn’t let it waste”—recalled the day’s end: Kobe lingering post-workout, sharing stories of his Italian childhood and the isolation of stardom. “He wasn’t just coaching basketball; he was coaching life,” Hanlen said at the book launch, where Tatum joined for a panel. “That Mamba mentality? It’s not about scoring—it’s about showing up when no one’s watching.”

The emotional resonance hits harder amid the NBA’s current landscape. As the Celtics defend their 2024 title against a revamped Lakers squad—now led by Bronny James in his rookie season—the video evokes a poignant what-if: Kobe, sidelined by retirement and later tragedy, guiding the next generation. His January 26, 2020, helicopter crash—claiming him, daughter Gianna, and seven others—left a void, but initiatives like the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation have funneled $50 million into youth athletics. This footage, archived on Hanlen’s hard drive since that sweltering July day, surfaced organically: “Drew’s book is about authenticity,” Tatum explained. “Kobe embodied that. Sharing this honors him.”

Reactions poured in from across the league. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, a Bryant disciple, screened it for the team pre-practice: “It fired us up—reminder that greatness is earned in the shadows.” Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, Bryant’s former agent, teared up on The Herd: “Kobe texted me after that session: ‘J.T.’s got it—tell him to guard his heart like his handles.'” Even rivals chimed in: Heat’s Jimmy Butler, who faced Bryant’s twilight teams, posted, “The work ethic in that clip? That’s why he was GOAT-adjacent. RIP Black Mamba.”

Beyond the gym, the video reignites conversations on Bryant’s layered legacy. CNN’s upcoming docuseries Kobe: The Making of a Legend, premiering January 2026 to mark the fifth anniversary of his passing, promises more unseen gems—from high school tapes auctioned in 2020 to rumored 2016 Lakers footage. Executive producer Eric Johnson teased: “This Tatum clip is just the appetizer—expect raw, unfiltered Kobe, the dad, the dreamer.” Yet, it also confronts the complexities: Bryant’s 2003 assault case, his parental estrangements—elements the series vows a “clear-eyed look” at, per USA Today.

For fans, though, this is pure catharsis. At a Staples Center vigil-turned-watch party in L.A., hundreds gathered Tuesday night, phones aloft, murmuring along to Bryant’s gravelly wisdom. “He’d hate us getting sappy,” laughed attendee Maria Lopez, a 42-year-old teacher who tattooed “Mamba” post-crash. “But damn, it hurts good.” In Boston, Tatum’s TD Garden event drew 2,000, with proceeds benefiting the foundation—$150,000 raised on-site.

Bryant’s journey—from 1996 lottery pick to five-time champion, Oscar winner for Dear Basketball, and devoted “girl dad”—transcends stats (33,643 points, 18 All-Stars). It’s the mentality: Attack every dawn like it’s your last shot. This footage, raw and revealing, immortalizes that ethos, bridging eras for Tatum’s heirs and Bryant’s eternal admirers. As the clip loops eternally online, one truth endures: Kobe’s gone, but the lessons linger—relentless, passionate, profound. In reliving his legacy, we don’t just mourn; we mobilize. Mamba out? Never.