The NBA community is abuzz concerning an iconic Kobe Bryant play that took place in a game in 2010. Matt Barnes seemingly faked the ball right at Kobe's face and Bryant didn't flinch in the slightest. But Twitter sleuths recently found angles that raise doubts as to whether Barnes was faking the ball directly at Kobe.
But Barnes is surprised that this old story is back in the news, and he is confirming the original story, according to TMZ Sports. Barnes told TMZ:
“As far as I know, that shit went in his face and he didn't flinch so I thought that was a dead story nine years ago.”
If anyone would have a reason to lie about this moment, it's Barnes. This move makes Kobe look like an assassin and makes Barnes look like he messed with the wrong dude. But even so, Barnes is confirming Kobe's Mamba mentality.
Barnes actually played for two seasons with Bryant in Los Angeles right after his lone season with the Orlando Magic. Barnes and Bryant were always two of the fiercest competitors in the league, and the original clip shows two players going toe-to-toe with each other.
But there was always mutual respect between the two. Obviously, Barnes still has respect for Bryant as he's willing to come out and defend a legacy-defining moment for Bryant. Alright, a legacy-defining moment is a major exaggeration, but this was always such a cold-blooded Kobe Bryant moment, it's nice to know it was the real deal.
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