Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant takes no exemptions when it comes to his opponents on any basketball court. Not even teenagers survived the wrath of The Black Mamba, as Matt Barnes narrated on his All The Smoke podcast with Stephen Jackson.
While touching on the topic of Bryant's NBA All-Star debut in 1998 and how the then 19-year old kid took the exhibition seriously, Barnes shared a hilarious story of Kobe absolutely crushing a couple of teenagers in a game of pick-up.
According to Barnes, he and Kobe played two-on-two with the kids while in Santa Barbara. In classic Mamba fashion, he didn't give a rats hat that they were kids and played with the same burning desire to win he showed when playing in an NBA game, swatting away their shots and dunking on their heads. Barnes, as competitive and feisty as he is on the court himself, asked the 5-time NBA champion to chill out with these kids, but Kobe didn't care.
This story only makes the legend of Kobe Bryant grow and just how passionate he is with his craft. There are probably a lot more untold, yet, similar stories detailing Bryant's competitive nature. His work ethic is unmatched and his passion has only inspired so many others.
The touching story of New York Knicks All-Star Julius Randle, who became Bryant's teammate in the Lakers legend's final two NBA seasons, is just one of the many examples of how The Mamba instilled in him the work ethic he carries to this day.
Kobe still lives in the hearts of millions of NBA fans all over the world. Though he may be gone, his legacy will remain forever.
Follow Us
Subscribe