Kobe Bryant’s Special Tactic Against Allen Iverson Involved 10 Opponents and One Single Purpose

Steve Stoute is the one connection to Kobe Bryant‘s short lived rap career. And he comes armed with a few unbelievable Kobe stories he disclosed on Club Shay Shay. One incredible story about the Mamba Mentality also revealed he was threatened by The Answer. Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant entered the NBA at the same time and both were two very formidable pieces.

Rookie AI even made Michael Jordan trip on his feet. Steve Stoute told Shannon Sharpe that Bryant took steps to not suffer the same embarrassment. “He was very much respectful of Iverson’s speed and all that,” Stoute recalled. “He wanted to get young guards from New York that could you know do they thing… crossover and all that.”

Bryant did find young athletes who could simulate Allen Iverson’s speed and his signature ankle-breaker move for him. What Stoute saw then was a firsthand display of the Black Mamba‘s famous discipline. “We got ’em, went to this indoor gym, he lined ten of them up. They came in from the three-point line, he stood at the foul line and they would come in like an assembly line and he would guard them, try to trip them, take him to the hole and then run back to the line before the next guy came.” 

Stoute was in awe of Bryant’s tenacity taking on guards larger than him who were talented by themselves too. “I couldn’t believe that he was doing this, no offense no nothing and it was like this level of discipline.” 

How effective his training was can be debated. NBA fans have compiled several moments of Iverson having Bryant tripping on his feet since 1999 till AI retired. Stoute wasn’t specific when Bryant did his special training, but perhaps the 1999 game Iverson crossed him twice and dropped 41 points on him would’ve been a trigger. His tactics also show that Bryant admired Iverson’s signature skills. And the admiration was mutual.

Allen Iverson’s fond memories of Kobe Bryant

Bryant’s amazing discipline awed the very rival these tactics were meant for. It was shown in a touching way when Iverson penned a tribute to the late Bryant. “I was a scorer. I was a winner. I did it my way. I won some games. But you were a champion.”

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For Allen Iverson, Bryant was the closest thing to Michael Jordan. Personally, Iverson named the Black Mamba one of his GOATs alongside His Airness. “When people talk about your favorite players, or the best players in the world, I say Mike, and I say Kobe.”

Iverson’s prez at Reebok and Bryant’s once-teammate, Shaquille O’Neal would second that the GOAT debate must include Kobe. How would you rate Bryant’s AI-based strategies?

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