Right now, things are bleak for the Miami Dolphins. They are standing at 2-7 and dealing with the ramifications of decisions they made before the trade deadline.
Nevertheless, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is trying to restore players’ confidence by providing examples of players who overcame the odds, per David Furones of The Sun Sentinel.
The difference was that he brought up NBA greats Kobe Bryant and Nick Anderson. Essentially, Weaver talked about two moments in which Bryant and Anderson were at their lowest.
With everything going on around the Dolphins, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver compared to players how Nick Anderson handled adversity of infamously missing 4 straight FTs in the Finals and how Kobe Bryant did with his airballs against the Jazz. Be like the Mamba. Good stuff. pic.twitter.com/1kGBN2Rl0o
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) November 6, 2025
For Anderson, it came during Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals between the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets. Anderson missed four consecutive free throws that forced the game into overtime, and the Rockets won.
Eventually, the Rockets swept the Magic for their second straight title.
In 1997, an 18-year-old Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were playing the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Semifinals. In overtime, Bryant threw up four airballs, and the Jazz went on to win the series.
After Dolphins practice, Weaver said he liked what he saw out of the players and offered one goal.
“I don’t think anyone wants to be the brick, so our goal is to be the Mamba,” he said. In other words, be a Kobe Bryant instead of a Nick Anderson.
The after effects of Bryant and Anderson
There is something the Dolphins could learn from these two instances. When it came to Anderson, he has never had to live down those four missed free throws.
At the time, the Magic were one of the most popular teams in the NBA with Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. It would also be their only appearance in the Finals during the 1990s.
Afteward, Anderson lost confidence in his game.
Conversely, Bryant channeled his mishap into becoming one of the most influential players of his generation, earning the nickname “Black Mamba”.
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