“Metta World Peace is a stand-up comedian now?!”: When Kobe Bryant channeled his ‘Mamba Mentality’ against the future Lakers star

Kobe Bryant didn’t give into Metta World Peace’s trash talk at the free throw line and hilariously asked him if he’s a comedian now. 

Seems as though guys like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant had some of their most iconic moments when on the free throw line. Jordan had his infamous, “Mutombo, this is for you,” free throws which he knocked down with his eyes closed and Kobe had a large array of such moments that further added to the legend of the ‘Black Mamba’. 

Kobe Bryant was known to a trash-talker and like all great trash-talkers, backed up what he said. Another aspect of dishing out disrespect is being able to take it. Metta world Peace was perhaps one of the most ferocious players in the league during the 2000s both with his style of play on the defensive end of the floor and with the mind games we played with opposing players.

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Prior to making it onto the 2010 championship Los Angeles Lakers squad alongside Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest was on contending teams like the Jermaine O’Neal Indiana Pacers and the Tracy McGrady/Yao Ming Houston Rockets. It was on the latter team that he shared an interesting moment with the Lakers legend. 

Metta World Peace tries to let Kobe Bryant know that he can’t knock down free throws, to no avail. 

Down the stretch of a regular season game on March 11th , 2009, the Lakers had a six-point lead over the Rockets with Kobe Bryant at the charity stripe. 28 seconds left on the clock and Ron Artest decides to call out the ‘Black Mamba’ for being afraid of him. Bryant simply chuckles and asks him, “You a stand-up comedian now?”

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Many NBA fans have said that this moment, along with their series in the 2009 Playoffs led Kobe to try to recruit him onto the 2010 Lakers team in a bid to replace Trevor Ariza. The feisty, defensive specialist is undoubtedly a player that is right up ‘Bean’s’ alley. 

This acquisition worked out perfectly as the Lakers repeating as champions may not have been on the horizon if it weren’t for Ron Artest playing lockdown defense night in and night out to allow Kobe Bryant to save him on the defensive end of the floor.