Kobe Bryant, to this day, has been known for his ‘Mamba Mentality.’ Although ‘Mamba Mentality’ encases hard work, determination, and competitive spirit, one of the biggest ingredients is actually mental toughness. This is one of the factors that Kobe often receives a lot of credit for. He’d often get into the minds of the opposition, thereby creating a separate matchup of just the minds, apart from the skills on the basketball court.

One of Kobe’s greatest opponents in the NBA was Allen Iverson. Like Kobe, Iverson had the ability to destroy his opponents. His offensive arsenal was second to none, and when the two squared off against each other, it was a display of showmanship and tenacity. One was always trying to outplay the other.

Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas was one of the many players who played against both Kobe and AI. In an interview with VladTV, Arenas explained the differences in matching up against Kobe as opposed to matching up against AI.

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Gilbert Arenas on Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson

When asked if Kobe was the toughest player he ever guarded, Arenas replied by saying that Kobe was not the toughest opponent in terms of on-court play. He added that Kobe’s toughness was a mental one. He’d often say things to players to throw them off their game. Thereafter, Arenas mentioned Iverson’s name as the one who was the hardest to guard because of his ability to look through a player’s antics and strategy.

“Iverson was the hardest to guard because Iverson didn’t have, I don’t want to say no thought process. He didn’t care about nothing – no feelings. It was just, ‘I’m trying to score 60 and I don’t care who’s guarding me,'” said Arenas on guarding Iverson.

“He kept coming. All the time. Like non-stop! If I’m gonna get scored 60 on, I’d rather get scored 60 on by Kobe than Iverson because Iverson’s 60 looked like it was a 100 because it’s just non-stop,” explained Arenas.

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Furthermore, Arenas supported his claim by saying that Iverson’s quickness made him difficult to guard, as he used that to continuously attack his opponents. On the flip side, things would be a lot slower against Kobe. Kobe would often post up and pass the ball around before scoring. It was more mental approach to the opposition.

Kobe and AI in the NBA

Despite having different styles of play, both Kobe and AI enjoyed plenty of success in the NBA. Additionally, fans always waited for these matchups as the two would always put on a show while trying to best one another. One example of this is the 2001 NBA finals where the Lakers played the 76ers. Although Bryant would emerge as the winner, Iverson played a huge role in keeping his team in the fight.

Despite all the battles, the two would eventually become friends beyond the court, and the letter written by Iverson for Kobe after his passing is a testament to this friendship. Clearly, the two are an inspiration to fans and players alike.

READ MORE: ‘Were All on a Mission’: Ray Allen Reflects on 1996 NBA Draft Class Consisting of Kobe Bryant & Allen Iverson