Kobe Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, and 18-time All-Star, is widely regarded as one of basketball’s greatest players. The “Black Mamba” was known for his deadly footwork and impossible fadeaway, but he still found some players tough to deal with.
Over his 20-year NBA career, Bryant faced several legends of the game, including Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Steve Nash, and Steph Curry. But none of those players were hard to deal with for him. Instead, it was Allen Iverson and five other players.
When Kobe Bryant Named His Six Toughest Opponents, Including Allen Iverson
Bryant and Iverson entered the league in 1996 and played against each other for over a decade and a half. So, naturally, when Bryant was asked to name his toughest opponent, Iverson was the first name that came to his mind.
“I can go by eras actually,” he replied to Jimmy Kimmel in an old clip from 2013. “…So there’s a stretch where Allen Iverson was just … he was a load to deal with, man. He was really, really tough. And there was a game where he dropped 44 on me, in Philadelphia.”
While it took Bryant some time to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with in the NBA, Iverson, a first overall pick, had an electric start to his career, becoming an MVP in just his fifth season. But he wasn’t the only one Bryant found tough to deal with.
“There’s a game in New Jersey where Stephon Marbury dropped 50 on me,” he added, naming his other tough opponents. “There’s a game where [Gilbert] Arenas had 60. Carmelo Anthony is always tough for me to deal with. [Kevin] Durant’s always tough to deal with. There are a lot of guys.”
However, none of the five were “the” toughest. Instead, it was former seven-time All-Star Tracy McGrady.
“But the guy that always gave me the most problems, actually, was Tracy McGrady,” Bryant said. “He had all the skills, and all the athleticism, but he was 6’9″, and he was really, really tough to figure out.”
McGrady was drafted a year after Bryant in 1997 by the Toronto Raptors, and while he also had a slow start to his career, the two-time scoring champion hit his peak during the Lakers’ three-peat run. Bryant was just Shaq’s co-star at the time and found himself on the losing end of several individual match-ups and scoring duels with McGrady.
Eventually, though, it’s Bryant’s scoring artistry that stands out. With performances like his 81-point game and unforgettable 60-point farewell, he steadily evolved from Shaq’s co-star to the face of the league and ended his career averaging 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
Even if his statistical peak wasn’t quite as towering as a few modern stars, Bryant’s longevity, iron will, and obsession with perfecting his craft carved out a career of sustained excellence. In the end, it was the battles with others and himself that defined the Mamba legacy.
