“Kobe Bryant was a dirty motherf**ker”: Matt Barnes dishes on the iconic ‘ball fake’ to JJ Redick along with the Lakers icon elbowing him in the sternum

Matt Barnes reveals that Kobe Bryant was a dirty player and had several physical tactics to help him gain an advantage. 

Kobe Bryant had a such an elite offensive and defensive skillset throughout his career that his dirty plays from time to time get overshadowed by his greatness. This isn’t to say that Bryant was out to harm people out on the floor night in and night out but it also doesn’t mean that his matchup was leaving unscathed following those 48 minutes. 

The mid 2000s to the early 2010s saw Kobe Bryant slowly test the waters with his physicality. It started with him aggressively trying to draw fouls on the perimeter by flailing his body. This slowly delved into cheeky bumps and elbows into opposing players.

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Perhaps the most famous instance of Bryant making a dirty play is him elbowing Rockets forward, Ron Artest square in the neck. This led to Artest being ejected however. 

Matt Barnes is another player Kobe had tussled with, with him getting into it with the Lakers legend while on the Magic in March of 2010. 

Matt Barnes talks about the dirty plays Kobe Bryant used to indulge in. 

While on the OM3 podcast with JJ Redick and Tommy Alter, Matt Barnes details everything from him almost signing with the Miami Heat before going with the Lakers to the iconic ‘Kobe Bryant didn’t flinch’ moment from the 2010 season. 

As detailed by Redick, Kobe and Barnes were in a ‘tickle fight’ all night long, with the former elbowing him in the sternum and the chin that night. Matt reveals that he intended to fight Bryant that night and that he didn’t even have to think to put the ball in his face; his arms just did it.

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While talking about the buildup to him putting the ball in his face, Matt Barnes said: 

“He was a dirty motherf**ker. Elbow you, grab you. I remember he elbowed me in my sternum and knocked the wind out of me and I wanted to grab him and fight right there.” 

Safe to say that the ball fake on Kobe Bryant was well warranted and according to him, it was exactly what he wanted. ‘Any person who’s crazy enough to fight me can be on my team,” said Kobe and Barnes was on the Lakers the very next year.