It seems that every player who faced Kobe Bryant has a personal story about the Los Angeles Lakers legend. Stephen Curry is no exception. The two-time MVP thought he was an elite trash talker when he entered the league. Bryant didn’t waste much time in making Curry question himself.
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When it comes to talking trash, Bryant is in a league of his own. There are too many players to count who have been on the receiving end of The Black Mamba’s verbal tirades. Curry eventually earned Bryant’s respect near the tail end of the five-time NBA champion’s career. But at one point, Curry was just another rookie in the league.
During the 2009-10 season, Curry tested his luck against Bryant. The Golden State Warriors hosted the defending champion Lakers at Oracle Arena. Golden State struggled that season, but they were competitive in this specific game.
With just over six minutes remaining, the Lakers were up 106-103. Warriors guard Monta Ellis fouled Bryant on a jump shot. While he was making his way to the free-throw line, Curry used the opportunity to trash-talk a little.
“I just walked by him like, ‘Yo, you nervous?'” Curry revealed on 360 With Speedy. “The look he gave me was one I have burned into my brain.”
Bryant couldn’t believe Curry would even utter those words to him. He didn’t provide a verbal response, but his facial expression told Curry all he needed to know.
“Like for one, I’m a rookie talking to him. But two, like am I nervous? What are you talking about? The look he gave me said it all. Stay in your lane,” Curry proclaimed.
At this point, Bryant had yet to attempt his free throws. It isn’t hard to predict what the outcome was from his trip to the foul line.
“If he would have missed, I would have been running home telling that story,” Curry declared.
The Lakers would go on to win that game by a score of 124-121. As a result, Curry held on to that story closely. It may have never seen the light of day if the 11-time All-Star had never earned Bryant’s respect. The tides of their relationship publicly changed ahead of the 2014-15 season.
In a preseason game in 2014, an aging Bryant went toe-to-toe against Curry. The dynamic sharpshooter was fresh off of his first All-Star and All-NBA selections. Bryant’s competitive respect level was at an all-time high.
He picked up Curry full-court, hounding him the entire way up. The 6-foot-2 guard didn’t allow Bryant to rattle him and proceeded to knock down a deep triple. On Curry’s strut back on defense, Bryant gave him a love tap on the behind, acknowledging his greatness.
Coincidentally, that would be the same season Curry would win his first NBA championship with the Warriors. Curry was always a big fan of Kobe, which made the moment hold deep emotional significance, especially after his unfortunate passing.
