It happened in 2014. A preseason game. Most veterans are coasting, just trying to get through the night without a rolled ankle. Not Kobe Bryant. He was hounding a young Steph Curry full-court, basically trying to crawl under his skin.
Steph didn’t blink.
He crossed half-court, lost his balance for a split second, then just launched a 30-footer like it was a layup. Splash. As he ran back, Kobe gave him a little pat on the backside and a smirk. That was it. That was the moment the torch didn't just pass; it was snatched.
Kobe on Steph Curry: Why "Calmness" is Actually Terrifying
Kobe Bryant wasn’t known for handing out compliments. He was a basketball sociopath in the best way possible. If he liked your game, it usually meant you were enough of a threat to make him lose sleep. When people asked about the rise of the Golden State Warriors, Kobe on Steph Curry became a frequent topic of conversation.
Most analysts talked about the shooting. They talked about the range. Kobe? He looked at the eyes.
"I see a calmness about him," Kobe once said during an interview. "Most players don't get it. But there’s a serious calmness about him which is extremely deadly."
Basically, Kobe saw that Steph wasn't playing against the opponent; he was playing against the game itself. He wasn't "up" when he made a shot or "down" when he missed. He was just... there. For a guy like Kobe, who lived in a state of constant mental warfare, seeing a player who couldn't be rattled by the moment was the ultimate red flag. He knew the league was in trouble before the three-point revolution even fully took over.
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The Trash Talk That Backfired
Early on, Steph actually tried to talk trash to the Mamba. Imagine being a rookie and trying to get into Kobe Bryant's head. Bold move.
During a game at Oracle, Kobe was at the free-throw line. Steph walked by and whispered, "Yo, you nervous?"
Kobe didn't say a word. He just gave him a look. Steph later described it as a "stay in your lane" glare that stayed with him for years. It was a reminder that while Steph was becoming a star, Kobe was still the king of the jungle. He didn't need to bark back; he just needed to sink the free throws. Which, of course, he did.
How Kobe Tried to "Solve" the Curry Problem
By 2015, the Warriors were a juggernaut. Lou Williams, who played with Kobe on the Lakers during those final years, tells a story about Kobe becoming obsessed with stopping Steph.
Kobe spent hours watching film. He finally walked into the locker room one day and told his teammates, "I found it. I found the secret."
His theory? Steph didn't like people on his side. He could shoot over you if you were in front of him. He could lose you if you were behind him. But if you stayed glued to his hip—specifically his shooting side—it messed with his rhythm. Kobe went out in the second half of a game and supposedly "shut him down" using this specific tactic.
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Whether it actually worked long-term is debatable, but it shows how much real estate Steph occupied in Kobe's brain. You don't spend that much time deconstructing a player unless you deeply respect them.
Comparing the Numbers
When you look at their head-to-head matchups, the stats are actually closer than you’d think. They played each other 15 times in the regular season.
- Kobe Bryant: 26.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.2 APG
- Steph Curry: 22.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 7.3 APG
Kobe won 9 of those 15 games. But those numbers don't tell the whole story. Most of those games happened when Steph was still finding his feet and Kobe was dealing with a roster that... well, let's just say it wasn't the 2001 Lakers.
The "Passing of the Torch" in 2014
The 2014 preseason moment is legendary among NBA fans. Kobe was picking Steph up 94 feet. He was being "extra" for a game that didn't count.
Steph hit that deep three, and Kobe's reaction—that little tap and the smile—was his way of saying, "Okay, kid. You're the one."
It was a rare moment of vulnerability from Bryant. He wasn't the "Black Mamba" for a second; he was a fan of the game watching a master at work. Steph later admitted he went straight to the locker room at halftime and asked for the clip of that play. He wanted it on his phone. It was the ultimate validation.
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What Most People Get Wrong
People think Kobe respected Steph because of the championships. Honestly, I think he respected him because of the work.
Kobe knew how hard you had to train to make those "lucky" shots look routine. He recognized the "assassin behind the smile." Steph looks like a guy you'd meet at a PTA meeting, but on the court, he's trying to rip your heart out. Kobe saw that duality. He loved it.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Players
If you're looking to take something away from the way Kobe viewed Steph, here it is:
- Focus on Poise: Like Kobe noted, the "deadly" part of Steph isn't the jump shot; it's the fact that he doesn't let the previous play affect the next one.
- Study the "Sides": If you're a defender, try the "Kobe Method." Don't just contest the shot from the front. Stay on the shooter's hip to disrupt their alignment.
- Earn the Respect: Steph didn't get a "pass" from Kobe by being nice. He got it by hitting shots while Kobe was trying to elbow him in the ribs.
The relationship between these two wasn't just about highlights. It was about two guys who obsessed over the game in completely different ways, eventually meeting in the middle. Kobe's legacy is partially built on the players he inspired, and it's clear Steph Curry was at the top of that list.
Check out the full highlights of that 2014 game if you haven't seen them lately. You can really see the moment the dynamic shifts between them. It's one of the few times you'll ever see Kobe Bryant look genuinely impressed by someone else on the court.