The legend of Kobe Bryant continues to grow. The Black Mamba retired from basketball in 2016 and tragically passed away in 2020, but in his absence, countless stories have surfaced, each one further revealing why the five-time NBA champion was a one-of-a-kind athlete and human being. Baron Davis recently shared an anecdote of his own.
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The two-time All-Star appeared on All Facts No Brakes to share his favorite memories of Kobe, a man he considered a very close friend. Davis spoke about his time playing at UCLA and recalled the Los Angeles Lakers legend attending a Bruins practice during the NBA lockout in 2011.
At the time, Davis was dealing with an injury and wasn’t quite at his best. But it was a blessing in disguise, as it gave him the chance to share a special moment with Kobe — one he’ll never forget.
“I remember he came to UCLA during the lockout. I just hurt my knee. So we in practice and sh** and I’m just coming back from my knee surgery, so I can only do certain scrimmages and sh** like that,” stated Davis, who was setting the stage for something epic. The ex-Golden State Warriors man added that he was working out on a bicycle and decided to rebound for the Mamba to cherish their moment together.
“I said, ‘Let me go rebound for Kobe.’ I go over there, and I start rebounding for him. Talking to him. Then I start rebounding and gave him a light closeout.” Well, that small move was all Bryant needed. Moments later, the two were going head-to-head on the court. “Okay, we went to a full-on 1 on 1 dog,” he added.
This was a big deal. Kobe had long proclaimed himself a one-on-one master, a god who never lost. That proved true against Davis, although BD clarified that the only reason the Hall of Famer got the better of him was because of his injured leg. “Every time I saw Kobe, I was like, ‘Bro, I need that 1 on 1 fave back. The only reason why you beat me was because I was hurt.’ We was going at it. We looked up, and the whole practice had stopped and was watching us play 1 on 1,” he stated.
Davis would go on to have a respectable career in the league, but challenging Kobe and earning his respect might be his greatest accolade. It’s well known that Bryant didn’t warm up to just anyone, but because of that day, the two formed a lasting bond.
Davis “understood” Kobe
Davis might not have beaten the Mamba in that one-on-one practice, but what he did do was forge a friendship with a man who had recently been labeled a “sociopath” — not for anything malicious, but for his relentless dedication to the game of basketball.
“I understood him,” Davis once stated on BigBoyTV. “He was so futuristic in his thinking. We’d just talk about crazy sh**. We’d talk about creativity and the things he was doing with his documentary and his storytelling.”
It wasn’t just about being inside the Mamba’s mind. Davis and Kobe knew how to get under each other’s skin. Their playful banter clearly meant a lot to BD, who smiled just thinking about him. “I’d be like, ‘Kobe, this guy is blue,’ and he’d be like, ‘No, that dude is green.’ We had that type of relationship where we would joke,” he said.
Davis and Kobe shared a deep bond built on respect, honesty, and a love for the game. The Mamba’s death has been felt by everyone who loved him, especially within basketball circles. But BD, like so many who admired Kobe, is keeping his spirit alive through magical stories like this one.
