Stories about Kobe Bryant games are legion. The Los Angeles Lakers legend himself claimed that no one can beat him one-on-one. This has been echoed by some of his former teammates and even foes. But recently, Jerry Stackhouse revealed the truth about these legendary one-on-one games featuring the Black Mamba.
Speaking on The Woj Pod, Stackhouse recalled playing one-on-one with a 17-year-old Kobe Bryant. After the game, rumors swirled that Stackhouse — who was a top prospect during that time — got beat up by a high school kid named Kobe.
However, according to Stackhouse, they played several games and admitted that Bryant did beat him several times. But he pointed out that he, too, won some games against the young Kobe who would went on to become a Lakers legend.
As transcribed by Noah Levick of NBC Sports:
“But again, because he’s so been great since this, these stories go back of ‘Oh, he beat Stackhouse one-on-one.’ Come on, man. Me at 20 years old, can you imagine a 17-year-old beating me consistently? I’d have hurt him first, real talk. Just physically, that could never happen to me. Did we play one-on-one? Yes. Did he beat me, did he maybe win a game? Yes. Did he consistently beat Jerry Stackhouse at 20 years old when he was 17? Hell no. I’m putting an end to that story,” Stackhouse shared.
“Was he super talented and everyone saw great potential in him? Yes, but those scenarios … of Kobe Bryant, they’re a little bit of a different story when you go talk to people that were actually in the gym.”
It's a great little story by Jerry Stackhouse who now coaches at Vanderbilt. Basketball fans see Kobe Bryant as an invincible foe, but it is worth remembering that he also started like everyone else and worked his way up to become the best player in Lakers history and an NBA legend.
Follow Us
Subscribe