LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant bet his teammate Chris Duhon $5,000 that he’d have a triple-double after he was told he can’t get one because he doesn’t pass.
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In recent times, an average NBA fan has witnessed a large number of triple-doubles, thanks to the likes of Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook, who have notched them with relative ease. The main reason for this sudden rise is that the games have seen an increase in pace.
For those who don’t know, a triple-double is a stat line in which a player ends the game with a double-digit total in three of the five statistical figures (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks). However, there was a time when it was rare to see one.
To put things into perspective, even the great Kobe Bryant had only 21 triple-doubles in his 20-year career. However, behind one of those 21 was a story not known to many, and it even includes the legendary LeBron James. So, what was it? Read on and find out…
Kobe Bryant bet $5000 that he’d have a triple-double
Whenever you think of some of the most intense competitors to ever play basketball, Kobe Bryant is more often than not, the first name that comes to mind. Above all, the 5x NBA champion’s desire to win and come out on top was inspiring, to say the least. So much so that the stories of his competitive fire have become folklore.
In this particular instance, the story was narrated by his former teammate Chris Duhon. It was a story of when Kobe bet $5000 that he’d end up the night right after LeBron James had one. He goes on to say –
It was a back-to-back game, and when you get to the plane where you get the stat sheet of the game that day, I was sitting next to him at that time, and I was like ‘LeBron had a triple-double and sh*t, you can never get one of those because your ass doesn’t pass.”
“Kobe started laughing and said, ‘Alright, I’ll bet you 5,000 dollars I’ll get a triple-double the next game. And I’m like, ‘Alright, bet it.’ And sure enough, I think he was one rebound and assists shy by halftime. Every time he was doing that, he was just looking at me and was just winking.”
And guess what he did? He finished the game with a triple-double. Let’s be honest, it was never in doubt. After all, this isn’t the first time the Black Mamba has bet on himself. We all remember the iconic $500,000 free throw bet.
The 18x All-star ended the night with 23 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds. Moreover, unlike certain players, his triple-double came in a winning effort, as the Lakers beat the Mavericks 101-81.
