“It’s never personal” – Jan Jensen expounds on managing Caitlin Clark’s Mamba mentality on Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa Hawkeyes coach Jan Jensen discusses Caitlin Clark’s Mamba Mentality (Credit: IMAGN)

In addition to wearing Kobe Bryant’s signature Nike shoes, Caitlin Clark has earned a reputation for embodying the late Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mentality on the court. As a fierce competitor who is not afraid to get chippy when needed, Clark has been demonstrating Kobe’s Mamba Mentality since her days at the University of Iowa.

Iowa coach Jan Jensen spoke about Clark’s Mamba Mentality on Tuesday during an appearance on the Mailander Podcast, described as a podcast that dives “deep into the minds of today’s most influential leaders.”

As Jensen explained, when Clark arrived in Iowa ahead of the 2020-21 season, she had to work to get everyone to understand the similarities between her mentality and Kobe Bryant’s Mamba mentality.

“If she didn’t think you were in the gym as much as you should be, then at the beginning, ‘We’re not going to pass you the ball,'” Jensen said. “Because my shot from 40 is going to be more consistent than yours is from maybe 15. She’s thinking from a very pragmatic, very successful win-the-game mentality. It is nothing against you.”

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“‘I might like you. I just don’t believe that you work that hard for the moment.’ Shift it to the other person. They think they work hard. Their, you know, maybe a hundred shots after practice is what they’ve always done. And they get their feelings hurt. … It is never personal. We just want to win the effing game.”

Looking at Caitlin Clark’s connection to Kobe Bryant beyond embodying his Mamba Mentality

Besides demonstrating Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mentality, star guard Caitlin Clark has regularly donned Nike’s Kobe shoes during her career. While playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes in college, Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, presented Clark and her team with a Venice Beach colorway of the Kobe 8s.

Furthermore, upon joining the WNBA, Caitlin Clark kept wearing Kobe’s shoes, as Nike created a custom player edition of the Kobe 5 Protros for her at the end of July. The Fever star showcased the shoes during practice and featured them in a social media video.

Then, during the WNBA Playoffs, Caitlin Clark showed off a never-before-seen Kobe 5 Protro colorway as she and the Fever squared off against the Connecticut Sun.

Although she and the Fever were eliminated in the first round, when the 2025 WNBA season begins, it would not be surprising to see the Indiana Fever star showcasing many iconic signature shoes from Nike’s Kobe Bryant line and introducing new player editions.