There are many legendary moments that occurred throughout the career of Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant. But one pretty random one that has always remained at the forefront of the minds of many came in a random 2010 game against the Orlando Magic when Matt Barnes faked a pass right in the face of Bryant, who didn’t flinch at all.
Barnes was a legit enforcer in the league at that time and had gotten frustrated with Bryant’s actions during that contest leading to the moment. And Barnes recently recounted what was going through his mind when it all went down.
“The Orlando shit, obviously I talked about it at the time, and I told him in our last interview like bro, I was ready to f—ing, like I was ready to go,” Barnes said on the Out the Mud podcast with Tony Allen and Zach Randolph. “Like f— basketball, I was ready to throw that ball in your face. Because he gets like, he’s already so good but then he’ll elbow you and grab you and I remember I caught a dunk tip off the rim because he was guarding me and he tried to block Dwight shot and it fell off perfect and I put that b—- down.
“And that motherf—er elbowing me from like my waist to my chest to like my chin and the ref was right here and didn’t even say nothing. I was ready to go. He had already elbowed me in my sternum and knocked the wind out of me that game. But it was just who he was, you know what I mean? And it was after the game, ‘MB you good?’ It was that line of respect.”
Many have told stories of Bryant doing those little things and getting away with it because of who he was, and at that point Barnes had enough. But as he said, there was always that level of respect between the two, so much so that Bryant would call Barnes that offseason and convince him to sign with the Lakers.
The moment is so memorable because it just showed the level of focus Bryant had when he was on the court. Most people in that situation would have at least backed up or moved their head back, but Bryant was just a different animal and that is why the Lakers legend remains so beloved and respected amongst his peers.
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