8x NBA All-Star Vince Carter squared off in 31 games against 2x NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant. Bryant was a fierce competitor and Carter’s talent only made Kobe fiercer. For most of his career, Bryant gave the Raptors legend a lot of trouble on the floor and even aimed discouraging words at him. Facing him off for so many years had made Vince accustomed to Bryant’s brutal trash-talking, so, it was only natural when he was pleasantly surprised at a never-seen-before amicable version of the LA Lakers legend in 2016.
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On the Run It Back pod, Vince Carter recalled Kobe Bryant’s change in attitude during his farewell season. During that particular season, Carter, still thriving in the league, was a part of the Memphis Grizzlies squad. He had the opportunity to face the ‘Black Mamba’ one last time.
During the game, Bryant pump-faked Carter who jumped as high as possible to contest his shot. While Carter’s terrific hang time enabled him to get near the ball, Bryant still managed to nail the shot. After making the tough jumper, the Lakers legend took a shot at his rival for biting into his pump fake and performing jumping jacks in the middle of a game.
Carter noticed that instead of giving him a mean look, although it was a usual Kobe mode, this time there was a certain friendliness to his jibe. The then Grizzlies guard was pleasantly surprised by the much more mellowed-down version of Mamba. On Run It Back, Carter recalled,
“That game, he hit me with a pump fake, I remember on the left side of the baseline. Hit me with a pump fake and I’m skying, I’m trying to send this ball in the stands and I miss and I swipe over and he still hits the man. He’s like, ‘Man, say, I got you out there doing jumping jacks, trying to touch the ceiling, aren’t you?’
“That’s like typical Kobe, but it was just in a friendly mode… Obviously, I had some battles with him but that’s kinda one of the times I remember where I was like, ‘Man, you don’t get to see the side of Kobe just because he wanted to kill you for 48 minutes,” he added
Vince Carter shares the friendly side of the Mamba 🙂 pic.twitter.com/Dm8IUkGoqE
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) October 21, 2024
The touch of friendliness Bryant showed Carter that night wasn’t the last. Once he left the NBA floor, the once mean and unfriendly superstar, turned into the most cordial and warm human being.
While his post-career warmth touched many, it left an especially positive impression on Carter who struggled after his own retirement.
Bryant helped Carter accept retirement
After spending decades on the court, bidding it goodbye is perhaps one of the toughest moments for any player. The thrill, the feeling of constant competition, the love of the fans, it is as addictive as it gets. Especially when you are a superstar, a player who has shouldered the hopes of an entire city’s fanbase.
Vince Carter, like every player before him, too had that moment. It was impossible for him to imagine a life outside of the NBA after spending 22 grueling seasons in it.
Thankfully, Bryant came to the rescue and reassured him that he would enjoy life even more after retirement. This reassurance became pivotal in helping Carter move on from the league. During a conversation with Taylor Rooks in May, he said,
“My last year, I did announce it was my last year, I didn’t announce I was retiring because I struggled with the word. We played the Nets in Brooklyn. Kobe and Gigi were at the game… I asked him about that word, how is it? He said, ‘Man, it is the greatest thing ever, it’s the best feeling. You are gonna enjoy it. This side is not that bad.’ If Kobe Bryant can say that to me, I can say, ‘I’m retiring’.”
This interview proves that not only Carter held Bryant in high regard but Bryant too cared for his former rival.
