Learning hunger from Kobe Bryant

By Lachlan Everett for NBL1.com.au

Courtney Alexander II is hungry to succeed in basketball, and that hunger came from none other than Kobe Bryant.

The Tennessee Tech graduate has played professionally in the G-League with the OKC Blue, where he was teammates with NBL Champion Scotty Hopson, as well as Bulgaria. 

He recently signed with the NBL1 West Cockburn Cougars, he told NBL1 Media that he wants to use his season in Western Australia to make that leap to the NBL. 

“I feel like every American guy, his goal is playing in the NBA. But other than that, for me, my biggest goal is playing in the NBL,” he said.

“[It’s] just a great league, great competition and a great country. So, I just felt like for me, coming to NBL1, it will be great step for me. And if I play well, that could possibly open the doors for me.”

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One of Alexander’s key struggles has been the free-throw line, shooting only 49 percent from the line during his college career. His season-best was 53 percent, but he has steadily improved his shot by any means necessary. He spent his second season in college shooting an underarm free-throw, which to mixed results, he eventually transitioned back to a traditional form.

“That's come and gone, no longer doing that. It was all my coach's idea in college,” he jokingly said.

“I was struggling from the line in my freshman year, and that summer ‘he was like what do you think about this’?

“I think I shot maybe like 60-70% last season (In Bulgaria). It’s all about rhythm and routine reps. It was when I was in OKC we really focused on it, focused on it a lot and just changing it and finding a routine that just fit me.”

Courtney Alexander II shooting an underarm free-throw in college

Alexander II has been around basketball excellence for a long time. His father, Courtney Alexander, was the 13th pick in the 2000 NBA draft and played four seasons in the league.

One story from his career that resonated with his son was a question thrown to Bryant in a game, asking him how he is that good?

“When he was playing against Kobe, in that game he asked him like, ‘Hey, man, like what? How do you do this? How do you do what you do?’,” Alexander II said.

“Kobe just stared straight, and he didn't even look at him. He was just like, ‘I'm hungry, man. I'm just, I'm just hungry for success’. 

“And that was it. So I really, I've kind of just taken that in my career where it's gonna go up and down. You don't really know what's gonna come. But as long as you just stay hungry, just keep working, I feel like it'll all work out.”

Courtney Alexander guarding Kobe Bryant

Alexander II said fans should expect a lot of dunks coming into NBL1 2023, the highly athletic 6’8 forward has a lot of talent and hops. 

Stay up-to-date with the NBL1 2023 with the Roster Tracker here.