Cut from the same cloth as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant is regarded as one of the most lethal trash-talkers in NBA history. The five-time NBA Champion could back up his trash-talking with his play and what’s more, all the chirping on the court actually fueled his competitive fire. The Mamba’s 2010 NBA Championship teammate, Metta World Peace witnessed an exhibition of his lethal smack-talk before he became a Los Angeles Laker in 2009.
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During the 2008-2009 season, Kobe Bryant was playing some of the most dominant basketball in the league. Suiting up for all 82 games, the Lakers superstar averaged 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists that year as the reigning league MVP.
Unfortunately for Metta World Peace, he was one of many of Kobe’s victims that year. On March 11th, 2009, the Lakers were hosted by the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center. Kobe was having a field day on the road, offensively.
During the final few minutes of the clash, MWP, who was a Rocket at the time, made the irrational decision of talking trash to an in-form Bryant. The Rockets big man claimed that Kobe was ‘not ready for him‘. In a classic Kobe Bryant way, the Lakers superstar scoffed at Metta World Peace and said, “I’m not ready for you?”
Laughing sarcastically, he added, “You a stand-up comedian now?”
What followed next was quite expected. The Lakers ended up winning the contest 102-96. While Metta World Peace finished the game with an 11/2/2 performance, Kobe had a dominant 37-point display.
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The exchange between Kobe and his future teammate probably played a huge role in the victory. But the Mamba was impressed by his competitor’s guts.
That could be a reason why Kobe recruited Metta World Peace to the 2009-2010 Lakers team to replace Trevor Ariza. Because he saw his own mindset in the Rockets big man. Little did Kobe know that this same player would eventually hit a crucial three-pointer to win the NBA title merely a year later.
Metta World Peace was a solid role player in the league who was infamously known for the “Malice at the Palace” incident in 2004. Clearly, the Forward was one of the more aggressive players in the league.
There have been numerous altercations that the former All-Star has gotten involved in over the course of his 17-year career. However, his battle with Kobe might just be the most memorable one.
