Carmelo Anthony Speaks Out on Lakers Legend Kobe Bryant Disrespectful Moment

Carmelo Anthony had a chance to watch Kobe Bryant play. Melo inked a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers in an effort to help the team win a title. The front office brought several veterans to LA and Melo is one of them.

Kobe spent his entire career with the Lakers, setting up a good base for the next generation. Melo is not really someone “from the next generation” but he will continue Kobe’s legacy in LA. Interestingly, Melo will always remember how Kobe used to get on his nerves.

Melo appeared on an episode of Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson’s All The Smoke podcast. He has nothing but words of praise for the Black Mamba. But, one of the stories he shared will blow your mind. This heated moment actually strengthened the bond between Kobe and Melo

“The greatest, man,” said Anthony about his 2009 Western Conference Finals matchup with Bryant, via Robert Marvi of Lakers Daily. “That was my moment where me and Kob became – before that we went to the Olympics. We became very close. But we became close on some disrespectful s—. You know Kob, he going into your neck. He elbowing you. I had my braids back then, too, so he touching my head. I’m like, ‘Don’t touch my head. Don’t touch me no more, dawg.’ He’s smirking. He’s throwing his little s— elbows, and ’09 came, and it was like, I remember we hugged before the game, and he was like, ‘It’s war.’ I said, ‘It’s war. Let’s get it. It ain’t gonna be nothing easy.’”

Carmelo Anthony teased the Black Mamba too

It doesn’t end here. The Black Mamba enjoyed teasing the newly-signed Lakers veteran. What did Melo do? He “returned the favor.”

“And I just remember him telling me, ‘I’ll guard you in the fourth. They ain’t gonna make no calls on me. They ain’t gonna call no s— on me in the fourth,’” Melo continued. “And I used to try to beat him up though. I was bigger than him, so I used to try to beat him up, be physical with him. He come back, elbow me. I come back, elbow him. He laughing, talking, ‘That’s all you got?’”

Kobe is the most competitive player in league history. He won five rings with the Lakers and his dominance helped him stay on the top for a really long time. Young players looked up to him and everyone wanted to be like him.