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Kobe Byrant modeled his fadeaway after a cheetah

March 25, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) shoots the ball against Golden State Warriors point guard Jarrett Jack (2) during the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Lakers 109-103. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
March 25, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) shoots the ball against Golden State Warriors point guard Jarrett Jack (2) during the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Lakers 109-103. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

In a long, facilitated Q&A between Kobe Bryant and Arianna Huffington with the New York Times, the two spoke about their personal and professional stories, and how the two became so successful in two very different industries. Really, you got a chance to see how each of them think.

Towards the end of the conversation, Kobe dropped his secret to perfecting his fadeaway jumper. Some would say, he let the cat out of the bag.

"AH: People want to know those things.PG: As a lens for understanding each other?KB: Exactly. I’ll give you an example. When you watch me shoot my fadeaway jumper, you’ll notice my leg is always extended. I had problems making that shot in the past. It’s tough. So one day I’m watching the Discovery Channel and see a cheetah hunting. When the cheetah runs, its tail always gives it balance, even if it’s cutting a sharp angle. And that’s when I was like: My leg could be the tail, right?AH: That’s amazing.KB: Inspiration surrounds us."

The Black Mamba drew inspiration from a cheetah. That’s so Metta World Peace.

When you think about it, it makes sense. Not just for a cheetah, but really any animal with a tail. From what I understand about the animal kingdom, tails help give balance. If what Kobe needed was to see a cheetah hunt a gazelle to figure out how to balance his core while shooting the fadeaway, then I’m fine with it.

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