A rookie Stephen Curry tried talking trash to Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
During the 2009-10 NBA season, a rookie Stephen Curry began his journey with the Golden State Warriors.
At the time, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was still viewed as the best player in the NBA. After all, Kobe and the Lakers were coming off the heels of winning the 2009 NBA Championship.
Evidently, playing well against Bryant was a dream come true for any NBA player, let alone a rookie. Well, Curry seemingly did that during a game, but made the mistake of trying to talk trash to Kobe.
During Curry’s rookie year, the Lakers and the Warriors faced off against each other four times. While the Lakers ended up winning all the games, there was one contest where Steph tried to get inside the Mamba’s head.
The Baby-Faced Assassin made the revelation during a recent appearance on 360 with Speedy.
“It was a game at home at Oracle and they were winning, and I think they were up like six or something like that down the stretch, and we were starting to do the foul game, and he was going to the line.
And I just walked by him like, ‘Yo, you nervous?’ The look he gave me was one I — just has been burned into my [mind],” Curry said.
He added: “One, ‘He’s a rookie talking to him, but two, like, ‘Am I nervous? Like what are you talking about?’”
The game that Curry is referring to is likely a March 15, 2010, contest. The final score of the matchup was 124-121 in favor of the Lakers.
In the game, both Curry and Bryant scored 29 points each. Maybe that’s what gave Curry the confidence to try to talk trash to the Mamba?
If there’s one star who is the epitome of trash-talking, it’s none other than Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan. It includes the famous ‘Shrug Game’ when Jordan went off against Clyde Drexler.
Another popular instance is Jordan closing his eyes before making free throws as he dedicated them to renowned defender Dikembe Mutombo.
Steph expected something similar from Kobe, stating: “I lowkey like expected him to do like the Jordan thing and walk up there and shoot them blindfolded or close his eyes and then look at me like, ‘Mutombo, this is for you.’ I think that’s what Jordan said.”
In reality? Bryant did something far more chilling: “But the look he gave me said it all. It’s like, ‘Yo, you just got here. Like relax. Stay in your lane. Relax, brother.’”
While Curry got off on the wrong foot with Kobe, he ultimately earned the Mamba’s respect before his ascension to superstardom.
