When you think of Kobe Bryant, it’s hard not to think of relentless determination. His “Mamba Mentality” has inspired millions, pushing everyday people to chase their goals. But while fans and aspiring athletes celebrate Kobe’s mindset, many NBA players found his fierce competitiveness to be a bit too intense.

Interestingly, as Kobe’s career was winding down, the LA Lakers tried to bring in Jeff Teague, a rising star point guard, hoping to give Kobe some much-needed support. However, Teague had other ideas and flat-out refused to join the Lakers. This would bring in Jeremy Lin and, as fate would have it, mark the beginning of a feud.

A failed move started the feud

During an appearance on Gil’s Arena Podcast, Teague shared why he turned down the chance to play in LA, and it was far from what fans expected. “They called me was like, ‘Yo, the Lakers going to trade for you, blah blah.’ I don’t want to go to LA. I look at the taxes and all that I’m like, nope don’t want to go there,” he explained.

So, with Teague out of the picture, the Lakers pivoted to Jeremy Lin. And let’s just say Kobe Bryant wasn’t thrilled. The 2014-15 season would turn out to be one of the worst for an injury-plagued Kobe, with 27 wins and a 14th finish in the conference. They had 1 win in the first ten games.

A frustrated Kobe, the only one averaging over 20 or even 15, walked up to Teague in one of the games against the Hawks, pointed at Lin and said “You left me here with this s*?” 

Bryant was just returning from injury that season and it was somewhat reflecting on his performance. He was thus made to sit out often, and would eventually end the season early due to yet another injury, having played just 35 games. Carlos Boozer, Jordan Hill, and Nick Young were some others on the roster.

But it did not work. Teague, who averaged 15.9 points and 7 assists that season had a better run than them all and Kobe could have used the skills in place of Lin.

Kobe trash-talked Jeremy Lin in practice

A clip surfaced the internet last month of the Lakers 2014 practice session. Over 20 games already lost, Kobe was visibly frustrated and the he let it out trash talking Jeremy Lin. “You ain’t got s*** on me,” Kobe challenged. And when Lin attempted a rushed execution and failed, there was Kobe again. “talked right into that bull**.”

After multiple comments were thrown, Lin’s turnover on the next play only added fuel to the fire. Bryant didn’t hold back, likening Lin’s lack of focus to sleepwalking and comparing his effort to Charmin’s toilet paper.

Jeremy finished with 11.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists average.

Lin stood up to Kobe

Interestingly, Jeremy Lin didn’t shy away from addressing his issues with Kobe Bryant when he appeared on the All the Smoke podcast in 2021. “This is how it started,” Lin recalled. “I said, ‘Look, you’re Kobe. I’m coming in trying to learn from you. So, I’m okay with anything as long as you talk to me like a man. Don’t talk down to me like I’m a boy; talk to me like a man and respect me.’”

But that confrontation came at a cost. Following a heated text exchange, things between Lin and Kobe went south quickly. Jeremy later revealed that they didn’t speak for the last four months of that season, which added even more tension to an already difficult period.

However, their story didn’t end on a bitter note. By the following season, the two managed to reconcile. Lin moved on to the Charlotte Hornets, where he found success as one of the league’s best sixth men. During this time, Kobe and Lin started talking again, connecting over their families, basketball, and how Lin could continue to elevate his game.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.